Monthly DAWN Editorials February 2023

M O N T H L Y I S S U E
February 2023
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Contents
Road to perdition ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Transport tragedies .................................................................................................................................... 8
Disqualifying Jam Awais ............................................................................................................................. 8
Mianwali raid ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Corruption unlimited ............................................................................................................................... 10
Women police officers ............................................................................................................................. 11
Delay in the offing? .................................................................................................................................. 12
Divisions in PML-N ................................................................................................................................... 13
Wikipedia ‘downgrade’ ............................................................................................................................ 14
Crisis conference ...................................................................................................................................... 15
Revenge politics ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Inappropriate remarks ............................................................................................................................. 17
IMF’s firm stance ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Grotesque bigotry .................................................................................................................................... 18
Kashmir reflections .................................................................................................................................. 19
The Musharraf enigma ............................................................................................................................. 20
Staying neutral ......................................................................................................................................... 21
Wikipedia ban .......................................................................................................................................... 21
No pardon for rape................................................................................................................................... 22
Health insurance ...................................................................................................................................... 23
The people’s demands ............................................................................................................................. 24
A grave tragedy ........................................................................................................................................ 25
Pharma shutdown .................................................................................................................................... 26
PSL season ................................................................................................................................................ 27
No excuses................................................................................................................................................ 27
Growing expenses .................................................................................................................................... 28
Toxic environment ................................................................................................................................... 29
Ridiculous laws ......................................................................................................................................... 30
Victim-blaming ......................................................................................................................................... 31
Jumbo cabinet .......................................................................................................................................... 32
Fuel shortages .......................................................................................................................................... 33
Moscow boycott....................................................................................................................................... 33
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February 2023
Final IMF deal? ......................................................................................................................................... 34

Women’s World Cup ................................................................................................................................ 35
Spring festivals ......................................................................................................................................... 36
Ruffling political feathers ......................................................................................................................... 37
Another lynching ...................................................................................................................................... 38
Poor tax collection ................................................................................................................................... 38
Rangers’ violence ..................................................................................................................................... 39
Organ racket ............................................................................................................................................. 40
Caught at sea ............................................................................................................................................ 41
Tainted legacy .......................................................................................................................................... 41
Gas price increase .................................................................................................................................... 43
Code of conduct ....................................................................................................................................... 44
‘Seditious’ utterances .............................................................................................................................. 45
February 2023
Road to perdition
A RECKONING is called for, a reckoning unlike that which this nation has ever seen. It must
happen now — or, as surely as night follows day, more bestial acts of violence like that which
took place in Peshawar on Monday will continue to claim the lives of innocent Pakistanis. And it
must come from those who sowed the seeds of a disastrous policy that is once again reaping a
harvest of blood.
There is not much to be gained in pointing the finger of blame at particular individuals, though
some are indeed more culpable than others. The security establishment as a whole has since
decades persisted with a myopic approach to militancy, one that could only lead to perdition.
Its disregard, bordering on contempt, for any input from the civilian leadership — which had to
face the public’s wrath as the body count rose — kept it insulated from what might have been
wiser counsel.
Following the horrific APS attack in 2014, it seemed for a time that the state had seen the folly in
its ‘good Taliban, bad Taliban’ strategy. The National Action Plan that was a response to that
tragedy stipulated 20 steps towards eradicating extremism in society.
But while the civilians faltered in taking the measures they were responsible for, the
establishment’s inconsistent policy towards militants remained in play and negated whatever
steps the government did take.
When the civilian leadership in 2016 warned that Pakistan risked international isolation unless it
cracked down on militants of all stripe, it was ruthlessly — and very publicly — cut down to size,
leaving no doubt as to who was calling the shots.
Some action against the ‘good Taliban’ was only initiated when Pakistan was about to be placed
on the FATF grey list. As a result, ‘charitable entities’ that had earned an international reputation
as fronts for extremist propaganda and militancy were forced to suspend their activities.
Nevertheless, some extremist groups continued to find space to hold press conferences and
rallies, even field candidates in elections.
Contrast that with the persecution of individuals like Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leaders
Manzoor Pashteen and Ali Wazir, who were warning that militants were once again gaining a
foothold in the tribal districts, some of them with the blessing of the state.
After the military-led ‘peace talks’ with the TTP failed and the terrorist outfit began to carry out
countrywide attacks, it became clear who had gained from the exercise. In the fullness of time,
the state’s missteps are plain to see. The glib platitudes, the doublespeak about ‘zero tolerance’
for militancy have been shown up for what they are.
February 2023
A break from the past is needed, but for that the establishment must come clean so that we can
start working to put behind us the confusion created by its dangerously muddled policy.
Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023
Transport tragedies
TWO tragedies over the weekend illustrate the weak protocols governing the safety of transport
in Pakistan. In fact, the example can be extended to general safety considerations in the country.
A high number of fatalities was reported in both incidents — a bus accident in Balochistan and a
boat capsizing in KP — on Sunday. In the first case, a Karachi-bound bus veered into a ravine
apparently due to speeding in Bela, near Khuzdar. As the vehicle caught fire after the accident,
at least 41 victims were burnt alive. In the second incident, an outing for madressah students to
Kohat’s Tanda Dam ended up in tragedy as their vessel capsized, apparently due to overcrowding.
Some 37 people have been reported dead in the unfortunate episode.
Many questions have emerged about both tragedies, that, if addressed, could save precious lives
in future. Apart from the speeding factor in the Bela accident, reports indicate that fire tenders
were unavailable in nearby towns, and by the time firefighting equipment arrived the vehicle had
been gutted. Equally disturbing are claims that the doomed bus was carrying smuggled Iranian
petrol and diesel. Local authorities also say there was no presence of the Motorway Police
between Khuzdar and Hub. Speeding and rash driving on Pakistan’s roads and highways is no
secret. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, there were nearly 6,000 fatalities in road
accidents in 2020-21; WHO estimates of fatalities are far higher. Therefore, the presence of
trained traffic police units on busy highways is essential to check speeding, vehicle fitness, etc.
Moreover, particularly on thoroughfares that see heavy traffic movement, firefighting and rescue
vehicles need to be posted in close proximity to respond to emergencies. As for smuggled
petroleum products being transported in passenger vehicles, there needs to be a crackdown on
this criminal practice as it turns these vehicles into fire hazards on wheels. With regard to the
Kohat tragedy, there were reportedly no divers around, while most of the children were not
wearing life jackets. It needs to be ensured by the authorities that boats and other leisure
equipment at tourist spots are in good condition, that overloading does not occur, and that safety
protocols are followed. Unless our attitude towards safety changes, and there are actual lessons
learned following official probes into such tragedies, we will be doomed to repeatedly witness
such disasters.
Disqualifying Jam Awais

IT appears that there may be some kind of small punishment after all for PPP lawmaker Jam
Awais, who was pardoned for the cold-blooded murder of journalist Nazim Jokhio. A legal notice
February 2023
sent to the Sindh Assembly speaker seeks Mr Awais’s disqualification from the assembly, arguing
that the payment of blood money is a form of punishment and amounts to an admission of guilt.
Nazim Jokhio was tortured and killed at the Malir farmhouse of the PPP lawmaker in November
2021 after he refused to delete a video he had posted of Mr Awais’ foreign guests hunting the
endangered houbara bustard. A murder case was filed against Mr Awais and his guards, but less
than a year later, Jokhio’s family pardoned Jam Awais, saying “it is difficult to get justice in
Pakistan”. The case is a heart-wrenching one, for it shows how utterly powerless the family felt
when up against an influential MPA, and how after months of pursuing justice, they yielded to
pressure and withdrew their complaints, accepting blood money and filing a compromise
application.
It is appalling that throughout this high-profile case, the PPP did not distance itself from the
accused. Instead, influence was used to extricate the lawmaker from the case, with activists
accusing the Sindh government of being a party to the larger effort to absolve him. The delaying
of the charge sheet, the fear felt by the slain reporter’s widow and the eventual pardon all point
to a broken criminal justice system. Finally, the question of Mr Awais’ disqualification has been
raised, and though it is a mere slap on the wrist, the speaker should not dismiss this notice. The
entire episode is a stain on the PPP, and raises questions about its support for a man who tacitly
accepted responsibility by the payment of blood money. The party should at least encourage the
speaker to disqualify the MPA to bring some closure to the deceased’s family.
Mianwali raid
IT is clear that the new wave of militancy is not likely to recede anytime soon. A day after the
atrocious terrorist attack on a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines, TTP fighters raided a police
station in Punjab’s Mianwali district.
According to security officials, the incursion targeting the Makarwal police station was repulsed
after a ‘grand operation’ was undertaken, involving police units from neighbouring districts as
well as Lahore.
The area targeted during Tuesday night’s raid borders KP, specifically Lakki Marwat district, which
has in the recent past been affected by terrorist activity. The foray should serve as a warning that
the terrorists are moving beyond the peripheries towards the heartland, and that the state needs
to prepare itself to meet the challenge.
Though Punjab has been relatively quiet after successive military operations brought a semblance
of peace to the country, in the past terrorists have struck deep inside the province, including
Lahore.
February 2023
Moreover, after the TTP began its latest reign of terror following the end of the ceasefire last
year, the militants have shown that they are capable of reaching Islamabad, as the suicide blast
in the capital in December highlighted.
The fact is that the so-called Punjabi Taliban have always maintained cordial ties with the TTP,
including providing recruits to the terrorist outfit, and sleeper cells are bound to exist, as the
sectarian and jihadi militants of yore are still very much around, though maintaining a lower
profile.
Now, emboldened by the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, as well as the TTP’s deadly recent
forays, the Punjabi Taliban may be reactivating themselves, at least as facilitators if not
combatants.
The best way to stem the tide of this coming onslaught, as stated before in these columns, is to
improve intelligence capabilities and uproot the terrorist infrastructure nationwide. Combing
operations have been conducted in Punjab, and these need to be intensified considering the
latest threats.
Vigilance by law enforcers in Punjab is relatively better, yet by no means can the civilian and
military security agencies underestimate the threat, as the Mianwali episode has shown.
The military’s top brass also emphasised the need for effective intelligence-based operations to
counter the terrorist threat during Tuesday’s corps commanders’ conference, which is why the
military needs to share intel with civilian agencies to achieve the target of neutralising the
militant menace. As terrorists recognise no borders and jurisdictions, LEAs in all four provinces,
as well as the centre, will have to coordinate their efforts to confront the threat.
Moreover, full implementation of the National Action Plan is imperative — this means action
against the ‘good’ Taliban, as well as malevolent sectarian actors who can serve as the militants’
‘B’ team. The whole spectrum of the terrorist threat needs to be confronted, not just parts of it.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023
Corruption unlimited
PAKISTAN’S consistent slide on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index over
the last several years is deplorable but not incomprehensible. Though we have ‘retained’ our spot
at 140 on the CPI among 180 countries and territories for the second consecutive year, the overall
score fell by one point to 27 points in 2022, the lowest in a decade. That the country’s corruption
rankings dropped by 23 notches — from 117 in 2017 — under the administration of Imran Khan,
who had come to power on the promise of tackling graft, highlights the unwillingness and inability
of the nation’s leadership to stem the ever-deepening rot. It also highlights that the growing
incidence of corruption is not the only issue here. The real problem is the anti-corruption laws
February 2023
and framework that have been set up to protect the country’s ruling elite, be they politicians,
bureaucrats, military establishment, businessmen or judges. On top of that, these laws have
mostly been applied in the past for the persecution of political opponents or ‘political
engineering’ by the powers that be. Opposition politicians are put in jail for years on corruption
allegations and subjected to vicious media trials, without their being convicted or their guilt being
proved, until they are needed again by the establishment. The use of the anti-corruption
watchdog NAB by Gen Musharraf and the PTI government to these ends is a testimony to the
fact.
Considering this, it is not surprising that ordinary folk have lost all faith in the anti-corruption
effort of the state. Both the federal and provincial anti-corruption agencies, hampered by
political intervention, lack of resources and proper training to investigate white-collar crime and
get the corrupt convicted, have proved ineffective in their so-called battle against dishonest
activities. Rather, they themselves are perceived, and justifiably so, as involved in financial
corruption. Consequently, we see greater social acceptance of the misuse of power for personal
financial gains. The current state of affairs is placing new, harsher constraints on the economy,
and raising the cost of public service delivery, besides affecting Pakistan’s credibility among its
foreign creditors and investors as a transparent country. In order to improve its international
standing as a clean and transparent nation, Pakistan must revamp its laws to fight corruption,
stop using the agencies for political purposes, properly train their staff, and ensure greater
transparency in the public sector decision-making processes.
Women police officers

IN a heartening development, a second female police officer has been appointed as DPO in
Attock, weeks after the district saw the appointment of its first woman SHO. Ammara Athar was
appointed to the DPO position by Punjab Police in its effort to increase women representation in
the force including in decision-making positions. Ms Athar is a deserving candidate, having served
as SSP in Multan. Earlier, she made history when she became the first female DPO in Punjab,
serving in Bahawalnagar and then in Sargodha.
It is indeed a commendable effort, especially because out of all provinces Punjab has marked the
highest number of crimes against women. It is critical to have women decision-makers in
positions of authority — especially the police force — where crimes against women are being
investigated. Women police officers are skilful at tackling violent crimes against other women,
and can outperform their male counterparts when it comes to community policing. Many male
police officers are either shy or indifferent when it comes to engaging with female citizens —
which is a major drawback given women make up half the population. Not only can women police
officers educate their peers about the need for sensitivity and privacy around certain crimes,
their own life experiences can bring meaningful change in the processes that exist to gather
evidence and report criminal offences. Pakistan’s convictions in rape cases are still very low,
February 2023
largely because evidence collection and the recording of testimonies is poor. Senior women
police officers can bring a transformative change in this regard, perhaps also encouraging women
to report cases of abuse. Ms Athar’s appointment should inspire other provinces to follow suit.
The success of women like Ms Athar proves that the outdated, regressive stereotypes which
dictate that women cannot be part of a workforce that demands ‘aggressive’ work can be
shattered. The government ought to support the trend by making more key appointments open
to the best female officers.
Delay in the offing?

WHAT began with conjecture and innuendo now appears to be taking shape. The ground is being
prepared for delaying the general elections to the recently dissolved Punjab and KP provincial
assemblies.
As per Article 224 of the Constitution, if the National Assembly or a provincial assembly is
dissolved, a general election to that legislature must be held within 90 days of its dissolution. On
Jan 24, citing the relevant constitutional requirement, the ECP wrote to the Punjab and KP
governors proposing April 9 to 13 for elections to the Punjab Assembly and April 15 to 17 for the
KP Assembly.
Both governors, however, have declined to give dates for the provincial assembly elections. KP
Governor Haji Ghulam Ali, one day after the suicide bombing in Peshawar that killed at least 100
people and injured more than 225, wrote to the ECP advising it, in view of the “alarming law and
order situation”, to consult the relevant institutions, including political parties, before fixing a
date for the polls.
He reminded the ECP of its duty to ensure that elections were conducted in a fair, free and
peaceful manner. Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman in his missive to the ECP has voiced similar
caveats, adding the “economic situation” to the reasons why the electoral oversight body should
consult “relevant stakeholders” before it announces a date for the polls.
As there seems to be no constitutional provision for delaying the polls to the two assemblies, the
governors’ letters to the ECP suggest that the PDM government is considering whether the
emergency provisions in the Constitution could afford some room for postponing the exercise.
Suffice it to say, that would require a leap of the imagination as preposterous as that which
underpinned the ‘doctrine of necessity’, responsible for many a historical wrong for which we
are still paying the price. The political instability in the country is certainly a matter of deep
concern. But stability cannot be achieved by extra-constitutional actions or by expediently
interpreting constitutional provisions.
February 2023
There has been enough of the latter in the past few months alone in the tussle for power between
the PTI and the other parties. Instead of drifting in uncharted waters, the country must move
towards the predictability that the rule of law brings with it.
The cost of holding elections to two provincial assemblies several months before the terms of
the Sindh and Balochistan assemblies and the National Assembly expire, is certainly a valid
consideration, especially in these straitened times.
It would also lead to the anomalous prospect of two incumbent provincial governments
overseeing, within their jurisdictions, general elections to the Lower House when they become
due later this year. To address this, there is only one viable solution — early elections across the
country.
Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2023
Divisions in PML-N
DISCORD and drama in PML-N ranks escalated this week when Shahid Khaqan Abbasi revealed
he no longer holds a party position. While Mr Abbasi publicly maintains he is stepping away from
the role to give Maryam Nawaz space as the party’s newly appointed chief organiser, it appears
there is more than meets the eye. These fissures have not appeared out of nowhere.
Mr Abbasi is a party stalwart who for years had commanded the respect of former prime minister
Nawaz Sharif. When the PTI came to power, as senior vice president, Mr Abbasi was one of the
key PML-N figures defending the party at several forums as it faced the government’s wrath. He
himself faced cases and spent time in jail. Given his role and close association with the senior-
most leadership, it was jarring that, when the PDM came to power and Shehbaz Sharif became
PM, Mr Abbasi did not take a cabinet position or portfolio. It also became obvious that Mr Abbasi,
who is close to former finance minister Miftah Ismail, was annoyed over the way his colleague
was undermined and unceremoniously replaced by Ishaq Dar. Now, Ms Nawaz’s elevation,
undertaken without consulting other party members, has thrust these mixed feelings into the
spotlight. It is clear that the Sharif family’s penchant for appointing family members to key
positions is unsettling to some in the party. At a time when politics in Punjab has changed and
the PTI has captured the urban middle class’s imagination with its anti-dynastic, anti-corruption
narrative, some find it difficult to justify the ongoing nepotism. Even Ms Nawaz may be feeling
the heat: during her address in Bahawalnagar, she felt the need to justify such politics. Where
does this leave people like Mr Abbasi? Many speculate that his resignation from his position
means he will exit the PML-N altogether, and perhaps launch something of his own, though he
has denied such rumours. Still, his participation and vocal opinions on the Reimagining Pakistan
platform have caused many to wonder if he is testing the waters. As this unfolds, the PML-N
leadership must confront the serious questions of leadership and the future of the party that
February 2023
have long haunted it. For a party that has consistently avoided facing harsh truths when it comes
to its everlasting internal power politics, Mr Abbasi’s bowing out has further muddied the waters.
Wikipedia ‘downgrade’
ATTEMPTS to police the internet by states, often by giving opaque justifications for the action,
are never a good idea. It should be recalled that this nation was deprived of YouTube in 2012 for
three years after a crude anti-Islam film was uploaded on the platform. The video-sharing giant
has also been blocked briefly more recently to prevent livestreaming of PTI rallies. However, the
latest global portal to fall foul of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is Wikipedia, the free,
editable online encyclopaedia often used as a starting point by millions across the world for basic
information. The PTA has slowed down access to the site in Pakistan apparently because it failed
to “block/remove sacrilegious content”. The regulator says Wikipedia has neither responded to
its requests, nor taken down the content in question. Furthermore, it has threatened to block
Wikipedia across Pakistan in case of non-compliance.
The fact is that the internet is a very difficult place to police, while questions about citizens’ rights
to information also arise if states start blocking entire web portals or apps. Unfortunately, some
platforms are used to upload content that breaks local laws or is designed to inflame passions.
The best course may be to ignore such random provocations, instead of giving them more
prominence. However, if there is serious incitement to hatred or violence, action can be taken
by working with the platforms to single out such content and isolate it. Shutting down entire
portals should be avoided. The state needs to reconsider its threat to ban Wikipedia. Pakistan
has much bigger things on its plate to worry about than a few provocative articles on Wikipedia.
Moreover, blocking sites does not do much to encourage the growth of the digital economy in
the country. Fair questions also arise about the arbitrariness of such decisions. Under the guise
of blocking ‘offensive’ content, the state can easily silence critics, while preventing free access to
information.
February 2023
Crisis conference
THERE is growing public weariness over the relentless bickering among our civilian leadership.
Nearly every indicator of our social, political and economic health has been pointing firmly south
for months.
To top it off, the resurgence of terrorist attacks now threatens a return of the darkest period of
our long and bloody struggle against violent ideological extremism. Yet, nothing seems to give.
Acknowledging the severity of the challenges, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently called for
a multiparty conference on Feb 7 to discuss the various crises facing Pakistan. Significantly, an
invitation was also extended to PTI chairman Imran Khan to join the discussion.
Mr Sharif had also invited the PTI to send two representatives to a meeting of the Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa apex committee held in Peshawar on Friday. His goodwill gesture, however, seems
to have been spurned.
The PTI later said the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister and the Azad Kashmir prime minister had
represented it in the Peshawar moot, instead of its usual representatives, as the invitation had
been received late. Even later, the party made it clear that Mr Khan at least will not be showing
up for the Feb 7 conference.
The PTI said it cannot engage with the PDM government while the latter cracks down against it
in pursuit of a political vendetta. “It is the responsibility of the government to [first] create an
environment [conducive to] national unity,” one leader said on Twitter. No doubt, the
government’s recent excesses against PTI politicians must be roundly condemned.
Nevertheless, it is crucial to have the input of all parties and the PTI should rethink its stance on
the Feb 7 sit-down, considering that it too has a responsibility with regard to the nation’s affairs
whether or not it remains in government.
Meanwhile, the bickering continued. PM Sharif on Friday once again questioned why more funds
were not spent by the governments in KP on countering terrorism over the last 13 years and took
veiled shots at the PTI for wanting to resettle terrorists but refusing to work with other parties
for the country’s future.
Mr Khan hit back, tweeting that he does not accept the PDM government as it was “imposed” on
the country “through conspiracy and horse trading” and asked how PM Sharif could be “so
shameless” as to “allow terrorism to spread under his nose”.
At a time when the enemy is seeking to capitalise on the chaos within our ranks, this was the
worst possible that could be expected of our leadership. If Mr Khan himself does not wish to
attend the Tuesday conference, so be it.
February 2023
However, other PTI leaders must do so. Refusing to engage with the government in such testing
times will only be taken as a sign of ideological bankruptcy.
Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023
Revenge politics
A SENSE of déjà-vu prevails as cases pile up against PTI politicians, many of whom, along with
their allies and other PDM critics, are being detained. The latest crackdown started with the
arrest of Fawad Chaudhry for allegedly criticising the institutions. Then came the turn of AML
chief Sheikh Rashid, who was arrested for accusing PPP leader Asif Zardari of plotting former PM
Imran Khan’s murder. Meanwhile, a sedition case was registered against PTI’s Shandana Gulzar,
for ‘spreading hatred’ against the institutions. The third arrest was of PDM critic Imran Riaz Khan
— a court later ordered his release — also over hate speech accusations.
These arrests and cases against government critics follow the playbook of the PTI when it was in
government. Arresting critics, opponents, journalists and dissenters over serious charges like
sedition was the hallmark of the PTI regime, which this paper vociferously condemned.
Unfortunately, little seems to have changed. The PDM parties protested the treatment meted
out to them when in opposition, likening it to a political witch-hunt, but now have resorted to
the same excessive force and underhanded tactics. Such tit-for-tat behaviour is expected only of
the immature — it certainly has no justification in the world of national politics. The PDM
government is perpetuating the same vicious, unjust cycle of treating opponents like common
criminals, parading them in handcuffs and surprising them with night-time raids. This pettiness
must come to an end. At a time when the government and opposition are required to sit together
to address the grave threat posed by terrorists, such vindictiveness is counterproductive. PDM
politicians may feel that PTI leaders and those associated with them are getting a taste of their
own medicine, but the best revenge, as a wise man once said, is not to be like one’s enemy. Saner
elements in the PML-N, such as Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, have publicly spoken against such arrests,
and should urge their leaders to think twice before continuing with this viciousness. When in
power, Imran Khan claimed that law enforcement was doing its job, and even ‘blamed’ some of
the arrests and harassment of journalists on the intel agencies. The PDM cannot hide behind the
agencies and get pliant LEAs to do its bidding, otherwise there will be no end to this politics of
revenge and Pakistan will continue to cement its reputation as a banana republic.
February 2023
Inappropriate remarks
OFFICIALS of the state, especially when representing the country at international forums, need
to choose their words carefully, and not make sweeping generalisations that are clearly offensive.
It appears that Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN Munir Akram spoke without much forethought
when he recently made regrettable remarks about the Pakhtun community during a session of
the multilateral body in New York. While speaking on the situation in Afghanistan under Taliban
rule, the veteran diplomat said that the restrictions placed by the hard-line group come “from a
peculiar cultural perspective of the Pakhtun culture which requires women to be kept at home”
while adding that this “reality … has not changed for hundreds of years”. A senior official with Mr
Akram’s experience should have known better than to make such inappropriate remarks, even
though he later backtracked and said he meant no disrespect to the Pakhtun culture.
Firstly, describing the Taliban — Afghan or Pakistani — as representatives of Pakhtun culture is

incorrect. The Pakhtun community has a rich history, while the Taliban are largely the by-
products of modern geopolitics mixed with extremist ideology. Moreover, in this part of the
world, people belonging to all ethnolinguistic groups have been attracted to fundamentalist
ideology, which was nurtured and weaponised during the Cold War, and extremism is certainly
not limited to members of the Pakhtun community. If anything, many Afghan, including Pakhtun,
women want to pursue education, which the obscurantists ruling Afghanistan are cruelly denying
them. A senior diplomat such as Mr Akram should know that militancy and obscurantism were
promoted in both Afghanistan and Pakistan during the Afghan jihad, and are not in any way linked
to Pakhtun culture. In fact, if there is indeed a strong current of conservatism in parts of KP, our
state has contributed to this situation as before the merger of the former tribal districts, the state
did little to bring modern education and infrastructure to erstwhile Fata.
Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023.
IMF’s firm stance

The IMF mission has been in Islamabad since Jan 31 to complete the stalled technical and policy-
level talks aimed at extricating Pakistan from its present foreign exchange crisis. Yet the lender
of last resort does not appear to be in a mood to soften the conditions attached to the loan.
Desperate for IMF dollars and relief from the crisis, it is not surprising that the Fund’s tough
stance compelled Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to admit on Friday that the lender was giving
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and his team a hard time in negotiations. His remarks caused the
rupee and bonds to tumble. Fears were raised that the IMF team’s presence in the capital would
not culminate in a staff-level agreement and the disbursement of the $1.3bn tranche, as the State
Bank’s foreign exchange reserves dropped to just over $3bn — enough to cover essential imports
for only 18 days.
February 2023
Mr Sharif rightly told the apex committee meeting on terrorism in Peshawar that Pakistan’s
economic crisis was inconceivable and that the IMF’s conditions were “beyond imagination”. He
was also correct in acknowledging that the country had no choice but to implement them. His
remarks underline the huge stakes involved as the country goes through one of its worst
economic crises in decades. Pakistan needs to complete the review to stave off a default as well
as to unlock inflows from other multilateral and bilateral lenders.
It is not hard to imagine the desperation being felt by the finance minister and his team,
considering the IMF mission chief Nathan Porter’s reported position regarding the need for
Pakistan to take upfront, calibrated and strong measures to bridge the daunting fiscal gap
estimated to be between Rs2tr and Rs2.5tr.
Some of the conditions, such as the removal of power subsidy for lifeline electricity consumers,
may appear uncalled for and prove politically suicidal for the PML-N-led coalition. But Mr Dar
must be reminded that he has only himself to blame for the fix he has found himself in. Had he
avoided needless confrontation with the Fund and diligently pursued the programme agreed on
by his predecessor after months of hard work, in the hope of replacing the lender with ‘friendly
countries’, the situation may not have been so desperate today, and the Washington-based
creditor would not have put new, politically unpalatable conditions on the table.
The more grievous consequences of what Mr Dar has done — or not done — over the past four
months will have to be borne by the public that is already struggling to cope with soaring price
inflation and job cuts. On top of that, he was also unable to protect the political capital of his
party, the primary reason for which he was sent back from London to take over the finance
ministry.
Grotesque bigotry
FREEDOM to profess one’s faith is guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan. However, for the
country’s Ahmadi minority, this freedom is severely curtailed, and instead, the group is faced
with intense persecution. One example of this ugly bigotry manifested itself in Karachi recently,
when an Ahmadi place of worship in Saddar was attacked by a mob. In a highly disturbing video
purportedly capturing the incident, individuals can be seen attacking the building and tearing
down parts of it while shouting slogans. This is not the first such incident; a similar attack
targeting an Ahmadi facility took place last month, in Karachi’s Martin Quarters area. The sad fact
is that there is a long history of Ahmadi persecution in this country. Members of the community
have been murdered in targeted killings, there have been calls for an economic boycott of the
group, while gravestones of community members have also been desecrated. Perhaps the most
brutal attacks in recent memory were the ones in 2010 targeting two places of worship in Lahore,
which resulted in nearly 100 fatalities. It is not difficult to understand what breeds this hatred, as
February 2023
there are groups and individuals in this country whose sole aim appears to be persecution of
Ahmadis, particularly by misusing the blasphemy laws against the community.
The problem is that if violent extremism is allowed to fester even after devouring whole
communities, one day the obscurantists will come for everyone who does not agree with their
blinkered worldview. The bloodbath in Peshawar’s Police Lines is a clear example of this terrifying
possibility. At least five people have been held for attacking the Ahmadi facility in Saddar.
However, the bigger task for the state is to provide protection to the community at large, while
working to extricate radicalism from society. The latter is a particularly tall order, when the state
itself had for decades nurtured the hard right. The political class, the establishment as well as
clerics need to take some bold moves to ensure that vulnerable communities can live in peace,
and are not hounded by those bent on eliminating them. Left unattended, the violent vigilantism
witnessed in Karachi will one day morph into an uncontrollable ogre. There may still be time to
save the nation from sinking into the toxic vortex of obscurantism and violence, should the ruling
classes prioritise this goal.
Kashmir reflections
ASIDE from Kashmir Day, which the nation is observing today as an official holiday, there are a
number of other days in the year dedicated to highlighting India’s brutal actions in the held
region. For example, many Kashmiris observe Jan 26, India’s Republic Day, as a ‘black day’, while
the same epithet is used for Oct 27, to mark the date in 1947 on which Indian forces invaded the
erstwhile princely state. More recently, there have been calls to observe a ‘black day’ on Aug 5,
to mark India’s controversial move to strip held Kashmir of its limited autonomy in 2019. The
standard practice on all these days is to organise ‘conferences, solidarity walks, seminars,
discussions’ etc to highlight the plight of the occupied region. Sadly, things don’t move beyond
this point, partly due to India’s policy of illegally subsuming what is internationally recognised as
a disputed area, and partly due to our own weaknesses.
The unfortunate reality is that a nation wracked by internal political discord, facing economic
collapse, and battling a resurgent bloody wave of terrorism can do practically little to offer moral
and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris. Without doubt India, particularly under BJP rule, has
intensified its oppressive policies in held Kashmir, and sought to alter the region’s Muslim-
majority demographics. The world’s so-called biggest democracy has been called out for its
abuses in the disputed region by conscientious actors globally. Yet because of India’s geopolitical
and geo-economic heft, especially in the eyes of the collective West as a counterweight to China,
these flagrant abuses are swept under the carpet. Pakistan’s diplomats have tried to raise the
issue of Kashmir at world fora, yet these efforts have had limited impact due to our economic
and internal problems. Only a financially and politically strong Pakistan, respected in the global
community, can raise a robust voice for Kashmir, until the day comes when Kashmiris are free to
decide their own destiny.
February 2023
The Musharraf enigma

Following in the footsteps of military strongmen Ayub and Zia, Pervez Musharraf, the ‘saviour
general’ who directly ruled Pakistan, will be remembered for bringing the democratic process in
the country to an abrupt halt. He served as ‘chief executive’ after the 1999 coup, then as military,
and finally civilian, president before stepping down in 2008 as the sword of impeachment
hovered over his head.
Musharraf violated the Constitution twice, earning the dubious distinction of being Pakistan’s
only military ruler to be sentenced to death for high treason for imposing his second emergency
in 2007. He was something of an enigma as his authoritarian rule was also interspersed with
liberal reforms.
The Musharraf saga began on a note of high drama, as his flight from Sri Lanka was initially not
allowed to land in Karachi. Subsequent events changed the course of Pakistan’s history. The army
leadership staged a coup to remove the elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the latter was
sentenced on charges of hijacking and terrorism.
Thanks to Saudi intervention, Mr Sharif and his family spent the next several years in exile in the
kingdom, as Gen Musharraf became the master of all he surveyed. Some liberal sections had
welcomed the coup out of concern at Mr Sharif’s increasingly conservative inclinations. But the
general was in no hurry to leave, and appeared intent on leaving his ‘mark’. The events of 9/11
brought this region into the global spotlight once again, with the West more than happy to work
with the general to achieve their goals in Afghanistan.
He created an atmosphere of liberalism in the country and started the process of accountability,
though the latter proved to be a controversial exercise. He restored the joint electorate, gave a
relatively workable LG system and liberalised the media ecosystem, but cracked down on the
press during his second emergency. Despite his reputation as the man responsible for the Kargil
debacle, he advocated for peace with India, helping to bring Pakistan and India the closest to a
settlement on the Kashmir issue they had ever been.
Yet the late general’s mistakes were considerable, the biggest and most unforgivable being the
derailing of the constitutional order. In order to survive politically, Musharraf formed
questionable alliances with the PML-Q in Punjab and MQM in Sindh. Under him, the situation in
Balochistan worsened — and is yet to normalise — after the killing of Akbar Bugti in 2006.
The transition from Gen Musharraf to Mr Musharraf was an unremarkable one as his All Pakistan
Muslim League suffered the fate of most other one-man parties, slipping into oblivion after 15
minutes of fame. The Musharraf era holds numerous lessons for Pakistan’s ruling elite, civilian
and military. All can learn from his many mistakes, as well as his successes.
February 2023
Staying neutral
THE Election Commission of Pakistan has what is perhaps one of the most thankless jobs in the
country. The countless variables in the electoral process, limited public understanding of the
ECP’s role and capabilities, and our public’s general tendency to believe conspiracy theories more
easily than they do simple, straight facts make its job all the more difficult to execute. These
challenges make it incumbent upon ECP officials to develop a thick skin if they wish to remain
focused on discharging their constitutional responsibilities under a strict code of impartiality. It
is a big ask, especially when one is constantly being harangued and accused of all manner of
impropriety by powerful individuals with a lot more reach and influence than an ordinary civil
servant. While the ECP’s current stewardship deserves commendation both for resisting the
extreme pressure it has been subjected to by certain disgruntled politicians, as well as for
ensuring the conduct of various elections in a largely satisfactory manner, it must also be chided
for lately allowing its critics to get under its skin. The sedition case registered against PTI leader
Fawad Chaudhry by the ECP secretary has been seen as a vindictive act against one of the
Commission’s fiercest critics. Likewise, the ECP’s prosecution of several senior PTI leaders for
contempt — even though nobody who matters has taken their accusations seriously — can be
seen in a similar light. There may be legal grounds for the ECP to proceed on both counts, but it
must be asked: is it really more important for it to win against the PTI or to continue
demonstrating impartiality in its conduct?
Its recent tendency to react to provocation has also cast a shadow on the ECP’s other decisions.
For example, the announcement of dates for by-elections on recently vacated National Assembly
seats and refusal to do the same for the KP and Punjab Assembly elections on a shaky pretext
gives one pause. It makes it seem as if the Commission is acting in support of the federal
government, which explicitly wants the provincial assembly elections delayed but has
comparatively little to worry about when the National Assembly by-elections are held. The
watchdog does not need reminding that it is entering a particularly sensitive period in which
everything it does will be subject to scrutiny. It must not get distracted.
Wikipedia ban
THE country was back in a familiar, dark place last week when the PTA blocked Wikipedia over
the charge that it hosted and would not remove ‘objectionable content’ the government deemed
blasphemous. After a warning to the information giant to remove the offensive content 48 hours
earlier, the regulator went ahead with the ban. The blocking of Wikipedia followed a pattern we
have seen numerous times, when major sites and social media platforms have been banned. The
country went through years of banning Facebook and YouTube, and periodically bans TikTok
when it deems the company isn’t complying with its instructions. The latest target of its
censorship whip is a website visited by millions across the world daily to access information. It
seems the government is clueless as to how Wikipedia works, and how users are able to edit and
add information to its pages.
February 2023
Much like the bans on other websites and platforms, the new curbs will hurt Pakistanis looking
for information, as well as be seen as a negative move by foreign investors. At a time when
countries are becoming less restrictive about access to technology and tech firms, Pakistan is
going the other way. The previous set-up was obsessed with data being accessible to Pakistani
users, and tried to push laws to access data servers and force tech companies to have a brick-
and-mortar presence in Pakistan in order to enable its own policing. This shows a mentality where
ignorance and fear dictate decisions on technological access, and highlights how poor the
understanding of our leaders is. The fact that the authorities banned Wikipedia as a knee-jerk
reaction to the accessibility of content they deemed controversial, instead of understanding that
it is a crowdsourced website where content can be edited, even by the government, is
unfortunate. It only underscores how arbitrarily our government can crack the whip of
censorship, and how helpless the citizens are in the face of such ignorant actions.
No pardon for rape

AN important aspect of procedural law pertaining to the crime of rape, and one that most
certainly serves the cause of justice, was recently reiterated in a sessions court in Karachi.
In a case where a school teacher was sexually assaulted in Karachi in March 2017, the court found
the accused guilty and rejected a compromise between him and the victim’s father as a basis of
acquittal.
Holding that an out-of-court settlement has no legal value in rape cases, the judge sentenced the
defendant to 10 years behind bars. Her approach adhered to the law: the crime of rape is not
included among the compoundable offences listed under Section 345 of the Criminal Procedure
Code, which expressly says “No offence shall be compounded except as provided by this section”.
Nevertheless, courts still make appalling errors of judgement. In 2012, a trial court acquitted men
accused of gang rape after they came to an out-of-court settlement with the father of the victim.
Fortunately, the Supreme Court struck down the lower court’s ruling. But similar travesties of
justice continue to take place. For example, in December 2022, the Peshawar High Court set aside
the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to a man for sexual assault because he married the
victim as a result of a compromise.
Cultural filters and biases can often lead to faulty applications of the law. In a deeply inequitable
society, the compounding of offences can lead to outcomes completely at odds with the
principles of justice.
February 2023
This is perhaps most starkly seen in cases of ‘honour killing’ where, unlike other types of murder,
the families of the victims and the perpetrators are the same. This has allowed murderers to go
free when the victims’ next of kin have ‘pardoned’ them — a grotesque iteration of ‘keeping it in
the family’.
After the public outrage at the murder of social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch at the hands of
her brother, legislators brought an amendment to the relevant law. Fundamentally, this
amendment changed nothing. Honour killing remains compoundable; the court continues, as
before, to have discretionary power to award punishment to perpetrators even if they are
pardoned by the family of the victim.
Only the minimum punishment that may be awarded has been enhanced — from 10 years’
imprisonment to imprisonment for life.
The acquittal of Qandeel’s brother on appeal by the Lahore High Court is further evidence that
the law needs revision, but it also offers an insight into society’s misogynistic bent.
However, in most cases of murder, even willful murder, the deciding factor in whether justice is
done is the social standing of the victim’s family. If they can be browbeaten into a ‘compromise’,
then killers walk free. Surely those who commit this most terrible of crimes should not get away
with it.
Health insurance
THE planning ministry is reported to have raised objections to Punjab’s flagship universal health
coverage programme. It has branded the expenditure on the free health insurance initiative,
launched by the previous PTI government, as wasteful and untargeted. The ministry’s opposition
to the project is regrettable, even though it is unlikely to result in the scheme’s shutdown, unless
the provincial caretaker dispensation decides to toe the centre’s’ dictates. It will be a big mistake
if the government decides to abolish this public welfare initiative over fears that its political
adversary could cash in on it in the elections, or because some myopic bureaucrats are not
capable of seeing its value for low-income people who cannot afford to pay for hospitalisation,
surgeries, and other expensive medical treatments. While the health insurance scheme is for
everyone, data shows that over 3.1m people who have benefited from this facility so far come
from low- to middle-income households who could not otherwise have afforded the actual cost
of the required medical intervention from their personal, meagre resources. It is also incorrect
that international lenders are opposed to the programme. After all, universal health coverage is
one of the core MDGs adopted in the UN and WHO’s strategic agenda to protect the most
vulnerable segments.
February 2023
True, the initiative needs some improvements to ensure that its gains are delivered to the people
living in remote areas, where quality hospitals and healthcare facilities are absent. It will take
some time, perhaps years, before every permanent resident of Punjab is able to use the free
health insurance facility. Pakistan is much behind other South Asian countries like India,
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in terms of the availability of quality healthcare and its accessibility to
the poor and vulnerable groups, particularly women and children, who are more prone to disease
and cannot afford medical treatment on their own. The situation demands that the government
reinforce universal health coverage under the health insurance scheme on a fast-track basis
rather than roll it back. This will ultimately plug the leakages in the health budget and compel
public-sector hospitals to improve patient management and service delivery in order to compete
with their private counterparts. It goes without saying that the success of the health insurance
project will cut down the government’s current wasteful spending on its hospitals, besides
making the healthcare system more efficient.
The people’s demands

AS the people of KP are literally on the frontline of the battle against terrorism and violent
extremism, they are bravely raising the loudest voices against this resurgent menace. Mass
protests were witnessed in several KP areas on Sunday as people took to the streets to demand
an end to terrorism, and the establishment of peace. Demonstrations were held in Mohmand,
Lakki Marwat as well as Malakand. While Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement and ANP leaders were
present at the Mohmand event, representatives of parties from across the political spectrum
attended demonstrations in other parts of KP. Such large protests were also held as militancy
began to rear its ugly head in the region last year, when the ceasefire between the banned TTP
and the state started faltering. These protests have gained frequency after last week’s brutal
Police Lines bombing in Peshawar; in fact, in an unprecedented move, KP policemen in Peshawar
and other cities held demonstrations in uniform demanding justice for their fallen colleagues
following the atrocity. The common denominator running through all these protests is a call for
the state to crack down on terrorism, and guarantee peace.
The people of KP in particular, and the country in general, need to be reassured by the state that
everything possible is being done to reverse the rising tide of violence, and keep them safe. A
government-sponsored multiparty conference is due to be held in Islamabad later this week to
discuss the challenges facing the nation. It is hoped that the political class comes up with practical
solutions regarding an effective counterterrorism strategy, and that the state, opposition and
establishment combine their efforts to realise the goal of fighting terrorism. There can be no
room for petty politics and sniping when the ogre of terrorism is battering the door. The people
want to know what plans the state has to stem violence, and want these plans implemented
without further delay.
February 2023
A grave tragedy
THE loss of thousands of lives in a devastating earthquake that struck Turkiye and neighbouring
Syria early on Monday has cast a dark pall over this week. As rescuers make frantic efforts to
retrieve survivors from under the rubble of thousands of collapsed buildings, the images and
reports pouring in from the affected areas tell a story of grave human tragedy.
The earthquake was the most powerful in the world recorded by the US Geological Survey since
August 2021 and the deadliest in Turkiye since 1999. Following the Monday quake, there have
also been multiple smaller earthquakes and aftershocks of varying magnitude.
As the people of Turkiye and Syria continue searching for their loved ones amidst the destruction
caused by this natural disaster, Pakistan stands with them in this difficult hour.
Islamabad despatched the first relief flight to Turkiye on the night of Feb 6 with rescue experts,
sniffer dogs, search equipment, a medical team comprising army doctors, nursing staff and
technicians, and a 30-bedded mobile hospital, tents and blankets.
Another 51-member team was dispatched to Istanbul on Tuesday, comprising doctors,

paramedics, and rescue workers.
Another plane carrying medicines and other essential items is also expected to fly out soon,
according to the prime minister. It is hoped that Pakistan continues to send as many personnel
and relief goods as needed to both countries. Syria, in particular, has been devastated by more
than a decade of war.
It is likely to have a much greater need for help getting back up on its feet, and Pakistan has a
moral responsibility to offer and ensure as much assistance as possible.
It is unclear at the moment if the prime minister’s relief fund for Turkiye, to which the federal
cabinet has also contributed a month’s salary, is to be utilised to assist Syria as well. If not, this
should be rectified at the earliest.
If need be, groups of volunteers and local NGOs who are familiar with disaster response work can
also be assisted in travelling to the affected regions to help in relief efforts.
However, such arrangements must be made in close coordination with the governments of Syria
and Turkiye to avoid disturbing their own rescue and relief efforts.
The weather in the affected region has been particularly unrelenting, with snow, forbidding cold
and rainfall making the job of extricating survivors from collapsed buildings much more difficult
than it would otherwise have been.
February 2023
Snowfall has blocked roads and crippled the communications infrastructure in many places,
making it challenging to move rescue teams to affected areas. The affected cities are also
experiencing electricity, internet and gas outages due to damage to the utility infrastructure.
Given these conditions, mounting a successful rescue and relief operation will be no mean feat.
Pharma shutdown
IN the midst of an economic and political maelstrom, a fresh crisis threatens the availability of
drugs in the market, as around 40 pharmaceutical firms have warned that they may halt
production within a week due to a number of compounding factors. The key reason behind this
crisis is the country’s dire financial situation, which has now begun to affect even the basic
necessities of life, piling further misery on that hapless creature known as the common man. In
a communication sent to the relevant state officials, including the health ministry and the Drug
Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, the pharma manufacturers say they are unable to import raw
material for drugs, while due to their inability to raise medicine prices, they are facing severe
issues in meeting the cost of production. Industry leaders say dollars are not available, containers
are not being cleared while the rupee’s freefall against the dollar has made production and
transportation costs shoot up. These are familiar plaints emerging from all sectors; yet with the
pharma industry, the issue becomes particularly sensitive, and can mean the difference between
life and death. Health officials have promised to prevent a shortage of medicines, and it is hoped
these assurances are translated into action with alacrity.
This is not the first time the threat of a medicine shortage has emerged. In fact, this crisis has
been brewing for several months. Last year, there was a shortage of several essential drugs, as
well as of paracetamol brand Panadol, for mostly the same reasons. Although the economic crisis
is acute, the state needs to include the pharmaceutical industry amongst those sectors that must
have priority access to dollars, while the shipments waiting at ports need to be cleared
immediately. In the longer run, to prevent these cyclical crises, deregulation of drug prices, apart
from those of life-saving drugs, must be considered. While profiteering cannot be allowed, it is
also true that manufacturers cannot be expected to produce medicines at a loss. High drug prices
are problematic, but non-availability is equally troubling. And while the removal of subsidies may
be what the IMF wants, efforts need to be made by the state to provide highly subsidised or even
free quality medicines through government hospitals to the poorest and most vulnerable
segments, especially considering the effects of the merciless inflationary storm.
February 2023
PSL season
THE exhibition match between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi at Quetta’s Bugti Stadium
has set the tone for the upcoming Pakistan Super League. Iftikhar Ahmed’s brilliant batting in a
game which the Gladiators won by three runs has left fans wanting more. Next week, their wait
will be over when the eighth season of the country’s marquee cricket league opens in Multan,
with defending champions Lahore Qalandars taking on Multan Sultans.
When the final is played in Lahore on March 19, it will mark the culmination of the first full PSL
in Pakistan, with matches at four venues. Karachi and Rawalpindi are the other two, but fans in
Quetta will have to wait till at least the next edition for the extravaganza to come to town. Still,
the exhibition match was a step towards cricket revival in the city.
Pakistan’s stars, including the now retired Shahid Afridi and current skipper Babar Azam, lit up
the Bugti Stadium but it was the Gladiators’ Iftikhar who stole the show, hitting six sixes in a single
over in front of 20,000 fans. It will be more serious business next time with the title on the line.
PSL has provided a launching pad for several of the team’s current stars, and for them, hitting
top form will be key. A busy calendar awaits them after PSL with a home series against New
Zealand before the tour of Sri Lanka. The Asia Cup, scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan but the
venue for which will be confirmed later, is set for September before the ODI World Cup. That’s
the title on which most will focus, but PSL’s top performers will need to make a smooth transition
from the T20 format to the 50-over one. PSL contributed to Pakistan’s last world title, the
Champions Trophy in 2017, and the hope is that this year’s edition can help the team win the ODI
World Cup for the first time since 1992.
No excuses
IT appears that the PDM government is indulging in some ill-advised legal gymnastics as it
attempts to delay elections for the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies till after their
constitutionally mandated deadline expires.
After the KP and Punjab governors earlier ‘agreed’ that holding provincial elections before a
general election was ‘unaffordable’, and that all elections should instead be held together later
in the year, PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique, Malik Ahmad Khan and Attaullah Tarar have
made very similar assertions.
Malik Ahmed Khan, in fact, has gone so far as to claim that the Constitution does not say anything
about holding elections within 90 days, even though the timeline appears to be laid out quite
explicitly in Article 224(2).
February 2023
In the same vein, the KP and Punjab police chiefs have now cited resurgent terrorism as an excuse
for the Election Commission of Pakistan to put off the polls for another four to five months. They
have both also made similar claims regarding not having enough personnel to ensure the security
of the upcoming polls.
It would be extremely unfortunate if the ECP plays along with this little charade. As President Arif
Alvi reminded the commission on Wednesday, holding elections under the guidelines set in the
Constitution is the primary and essential duty of the ECP.
It is ultimately the commission which will be held responsible for any violation of the Constitution
if it fails to discharge its functions and duties accordingly.
The law is quite clear that elections must be held within 90 days in case of the early dissolution
of the national or provincial assemblies, and those in power should stop finding creative excuses
not to obey.
There had rightfully been much anger and indignation last year when the PTI attempted to
railroad the Constitution to announce an early election; the PDM, too, must not be allowed to
railroad it to do the opposite.
The democratic process cannot be suspended. It is not up to the two governors or even the
federal government to decide on the ‘affordability’ of elections. Indeed, they should ensure the
necessary funding for the ECP even if it means curtailing expenditures in other areas.
Likewise, the threat of terrorist attacks cannot be made a reason to delay polls. Keeping the
people safe is the responsibility of our law-enforcement agencies and the military: their
ineptitude and failures have no bearing on the responsibilities assigned by the Constitution to
the ECP.
The PDM must stop trying to manufacture bad precedents that future governments may also use
to unlawfully extend their rule.
The government should stop attempting to hijack the electoral process with its shenanigans,
assist the ECP in its preparations and ensure that the commission has whatever resources it
needs. Democracy should not be so crudely thwarted.
Growing expenses
WITH their costs going up following the massive currency devaluation and increase in fuel prices
in the last couple of weeks, it was only a matter of time before the producers of packaged milk
and baby formula raised their rates to protect their profits. As a report in this paper suggests, an
February 2023
international food company with the largest market share has blamed the inflationary
environment for the latest hike in milk prices. The sellers of loose milk and its derivatives have
already raised prices to recover the increase in the cost of animal feed and transportation. At a
time when everything ranging from lentils to vegetables to medicines to clothing to stationery to
cars is getting more expensive by the day, it is naive to expect the producers of packaged foods
to keep their prices unchanged. Considering the consistently falling rupee and the anticipated
hike in petroleum, electricity and gas prices in the days ahead, to meet IMF conditions,
inflationary pressure will intensify further going forward. The 2.6pc increase in the weekly SPI
inflation is just an indication of the shape of things to come. The price increase trajectory,
however, will depend on the size of these adjustments, as well as on whether the latter are
implemented all at once or staggered over a period. The potential implementation of the sales
tax on fuel, as being demanded by the IMF, could quicken the pace of monthly inflation that
already has surged to a 48-year high of 27.6pc.
The rising inflation hasn’t spared anyone, but the impact of the surging cost of living since last
June on low-middle-income families has been unbearable. Inflation indices don’t capture fully
the misery of ordinary Pakistanis who have seen high prices wear down their savings and force
them to cut expenditure on food, healthcare and education to make ends meet as their
purchasing power erodes. The government and its finance ministers, past and current, have
consistently blamed the previous PTI government for sowing the seeds for the dire economic
situation and surging cost of living today. They are not wrong. But it doesn’t absolve the current
set-up of its own responsibility for contributing to the rot by taking decisions that have worsened
the crisis in the last 10 months. The inflation-stricken people deserve better than just lip service
and a blame game played by politicians.
Toxic environment
FOR millions in our teeming cities, clean air and water have become luxuries. What is even more
alarming is that environmental pollution is quite literally having a deadly impact on people’s
health. Mystery shrouds the deaths of 18 people, mostly children, who died in Karachi’s Keamari
area last month. Experts are of the view that toxic emissions from industrial units in the area
caused the deaths, but thanks to a botched probe by the authorities many questions about the
tragedy remain unanswered. Taking notice of this pathetic state of affairs, the Sindh High Court
on Tuesday ordered registration of FIRs of the case as well as a thorough investigation into the
incident. Reportedly, 15 deaths occurred in the same area in 2020 as well. Regarding flaws in the
initial probe, officials are said to have failed to carry out detailed autopsies of the victims, while
Sepa, Sindh’s environment watchdog, apparently collected samples from factories allegedly
responsible for the toxic emissions after the units were sealed. In a related development, Sepa
recently found that several industries in Keamari were releasing hazardous emissions.
February 2023
The Keamari tragedy highlights two major deadly environmental hazards in Karachi: toxic air and
industrial units functioning in or near residential areas. Bad air, as medical experts have pointed
out, is responsible for causing cancer and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and kidney diseases,
while due to the non-implementation of zoning laws, industrial units and congested, often poor,
residential localities have been merged, creating a recipe for disaster. Industrial zones,
particularly where units deal with hazardous material, should be located far from residential
areas. Unfortunately, the Sindh authorities have failed to enforce this basic safety precaution,
and at present there seems to be no check on factories and industrial units operating in
populated areas. For the sake of the people’s health, action needs to be taken in this regard,
while the Sindh administration can definitely do more to rein in rampant air pollution.
Ridiculous laws
IT seems our politicians never learn. In their eagerness to appease the powers that be, they keep
coming up with terrible ways to undermine fundamental rights and concede even more power
to unelected quarters.
One such legislation currently under consideration in parliament seeks to penalise the ridiculing
of the Pakistan Army and the country’s judiciary with severe jail terms and / or hefty fines.
Titled the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2023, the draft bill has reportedly been vetted by the
Ministry of Law and Justice, headed by the PML-N’s Azam Nazeer Tarar, after being initiated by
the Ministry of Interior, currently headed by Rana Sanaullah, also from the PML-N.
The bill seeks to add new sections to the Pakistan Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure
to make the ‘crime’ of ‘intentionally ridiculing’ the armed forces or judiciary punishable with up
to five years in prison and/ or a fine of up to Rs1 million, and also to give law enforcement
agencies the power to arrest a suspected offender without a warrant.
The offence will be non-bailable and non-compoundable and only challengeable through a
sessions court. The only check and balance offered is that the government of the day will approve
each case before it is prosecuted.
However, given the pliability of our civilian overlords when under enough pressure, that is hardly
something to take comfort in. It ought to be mentioned that this legislation has been proposed
in response to what the government has described as a “deliberate cyber campaign” against
“important state institutions and their officials”.
February 2023
However, if the recent banning of internet knowledge resource Wikipedia is any indication of
how deeply suspicious our authorities are of digital platforms and how little they understand
them, this latest attempt to control online narratives, too, will backfire.
It will invariably be used to stifle any criticism of state policies that are opposed by the general
public and will soon come back to haunt those championing it today.
The PTI government had issued the Peca Ordinance this same month last year. The Islamabad
High Court thankfully shot the law down in April 2022, and the party was lucky to be spared its
consequences.
“The criminalisation of defamation, protection of individual reputations through arrest and

imprisonment and the resultant chilling effect violates the letter of the Constitution,” the court
had noted in reference to the freedom of expression granted to all citizens.
Almost a year on, a new government is repeating the PTI’s blunder despite that ruling. It seems
that certain quarters simply do not care what the law says — just what they want it to say.
One cannot help but wonder if it is perhaps the law of the land which actually needs protection
from repeated ridicule by the country’s elite.
Victim-blaming
ONE of the perpetrators of the gang rape in Islamabad’s F-9 park had ‘advice’ for the victim that
showed him as being of one mind with far too many people in Pakistan. He told her “not to come
to the park at this time” — a classic case of victim-blaming that one witnesses repeatedly among
the public and their leaders. The incident in question took place last week, when the woman
went to the park at around 8pm accompanied by a male colleague. According to the FIR, they
were waylaid by two men at gunpoint and taken towards a wooded area. When she put up
resistance and raised her voice to attract the attention of any passersby that may have been
around, the men beat her, separated her from her colleague and subjected her to rape. The police
are examining CCTV footage of the park and have issued a sketch of one of the perpetrators.
To suggest that a rape victim is in any way responsible for the violence inflicted upon her is to be
ignorant, crass and misogynistic. Such views stem from a mentality that sees the public space as
an essentially male domain in which females must tread very cautiously, careful not to present
any ‘temptation’ lest men lose control. How does this ‘temptation theory’ explain the many
victims of child rape, both girls and boys? The onus for men’s bad, or in this case, criminal
behaviour, is on men alone. When national leaders contend otherwise, or display a muddled
understanding of the issue, it condones by implication an entire host of unacceptable behaviour
among men who believe they are inherently ‘programmed’ to prey on women, whether in the
February 2023
workplace or in a park. Women being cloistered inside their homes is no guarantee of their safety
either. Around the same time as the park incident, a woman was gang-raped inside her house in
a rural area of Islamabad Capital City. Men who rape do so because they have a criminal bent of
mind, not because they can. It is an insult to the decent men in our midst who would not consider
a woman’s appearance or conduct as giving them licence to visit sexual violence upon her. The
state must ensure that public spaces are safe for women, and that men who rape are held to
account for their crime.
Jumbo cabinet
AT a time when the nation is struggling to maintain financial solvency, the federal government is
sending all the wrong messages, especially where the size of the cabinet is concerned. The prime
minister on Wednesday announced the inclusion of seven special assistants — SAPMs — bringing
the cabinet’s size to an unwieldy figure of 85. The message from the top seems to be austerity
for the people, business as usual for the ruling elite. While the newly inducted cabinet members
will reportedly work on a pro bono basis, with the interior minister saying they will not avail
salary, perks or privileges, it is difficult to believe that these officials will come at zero cost to the
exchequer. After all, their office expenses and other related overheads are likely to be borne by
the state. Moreover, when huge numbers of people — some say millions — across the country
have lost their jobs, in both the manufacturing and services industries, expanding the federal
cabinet is just bad optics. Justifying the move, the interior minister bizarrely said the additions
were made “to praise them [new SAPMs]”. The PDM’s jumbo cabinet is perhaps trying to
replicate the feat achieved by former Balochistan chief minister Aslam Raisani, who in 2011 had
a 51-member cabinet drawn from the 65 provincial assembly members in Pakistan’s least-
developed province.
Instead of stuffing more people into the cabinet, the administration should be leading a leaner
operation and cutting down on unnecessary expenditures. Considering the fact that the PDM
government only has a few more months in power — unless the set-up is given an extension due
to ‘force majeure’ — the new appointments make even less sense. Unless of course ‘electables’
and ‘influentials’ are being given incentives to stick with the PML-N come election time.
Whatever the justifications, there should be no more additions to the cabinet, and preferably its
size should be reduced so that the administration can concentrate on the grave challenges at
hand.
February 2023
Fuel shortages
WE should have seen this coming. As has become the norm over the past 10 months or so, reports
of a looming shortage of any essential good or commodity have only quickened its disappearance
from the market. With the state helpless, unscrupulous elements have been given free rein to
hoard various items and create artificial shortages, then charge a premium for the stocks they
release. Automobile fuel has become the latest commodity to disappear from some markets,
especially in Punjab, as traders speculate that the government may soon be forced to increase
prices in order to tie up its long-delayed deal with the IMF as well as fears that fuel may soon run
out in the country due to held-up imports. There was prior warning that there could be trouble
when news reports at the end of January spoke of a looming fuel supply crunch due to banks’
refusal to finance and facilitate payments for imports. The country’s depleted foreign exchange
reserves, currently below $3bn, had necessitated blocking foreign payments.
Within a week, both large and small cities in Punjab were reporting rationing of fuel at pumps,
prompting the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Musadik Malik, to issue a stern — but largely
unheeded — warning to hoarders. The Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority too shared with the Punjab
chief secretary a list of locations where it believed fuel was being hoarded, for the necessary
action to be taken. It remains to be seen how many will be brought to task over the matter and
how many dealers’ licences will be cancelled, as warned by the minister. Meanwhile, the citizenry
has little choice but to cope with the annoyance of long lines at fuelling stations and the
uncertainty of not knowing when fuel supplies may run out completely. It is truly a sorry state of
affairs, made worse by a government that appears clueless about how to responsibly manage an
economy in crisis.
Moscow boycott
NATURE abhors a vacuum, and if Pakistan does not attend key international meetings, it leaves
the field open to hostile actors and forfeits this country’s right to contribute to the discussion at
these events. In the case of a recently held multilateral event in Moscow, organised to discuss
the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan should not have boycotted the meeting to protest against
India’s inclusion. Moreover, we should not have skipped this event when Russia had sent a key
official to invite us. The event in question is the multilateral consultations of secretaries of
(regional) security councils on Afghanistan, and along with hosts Russia, senior security officials
from the Central Asian states, China, Iran and India were in attendance, while the moot was
addressed by President Putin on Wednesday. Moscow’s point man on Afghanistan, Zamir
Kabulov, had during his visit to Islamabad last month invited Pakistan to the event. However,
there is some confusion about what followed, as the Foreign Office told the Russian emissary
that this country supported regional solutions through the Moscow Format — another Russia-
led initiative — though Mr Kabulov was reportedly under the impression that Pakistan would
attend the security meeting that just concluded.
February 2023
Firstly, it was undiplomatic of Pakistan to shun a direct invitation to the event. Secondly, while
this country’s fears may well be true about India using Afghanistan as a launching pad for anti-
Pakistan activity, as was apparently the case when the Western-backed dispensation ruled Kabul,
boycotting meetings due to New Delhi’s presence will do little to address these concerns. If
anything, such fora should be used by Pakistan to emphasise that Afghan soil should not be used
to destabilise a regional state. As Afghanistan’s neighbour, Pakistan is amongst the states most
affected by instability in that country. Therefore, its voice matters, but only if it raises its voice at
all relevant regional and global platforms. At the recent Moscow moot, Mr Putin highlighted
issues such as terrorism in Afghanistan, as well as humanitarian suffering in that country. These
are all issues that directly affect Pakistan. In future, this country needs to participate vigorously
in all such discussions that can help bring stability to Afghanistan, and ensure that Pakistan’s point
of view is heard and its interests protected at all regional meetings, and that others do not take
advantage of our absence to further isolate us.
Final IMF deal?

THERE is still confusion over where matters stand between the government and the IMF. On
Friday morning, Pakistan received the ‘Memorandum of Economic and Financial Policies’ draft,
the key document stipulating the conditions, steps and policy actions that will form the basis of
the staff-level agreement with the IMF.
The government is interpreting it as the ‘settlement’ of its differences with the Fund. Yet the IMF
mission’s departure from the country without finalising the agreement indicates that large gaps
still remain to be bridged.
The IMF’s carefully crafted, short concluding statement on the 10-day loan talks further
underscores these gaps, despite the “considerable progress” on measures to remedy domestic
and external imbalances.
That the IMF statement stresses the need for permanent revenue measures to strengthen
Pakistan’s fiscal position implies that the lender isn’t satisfied with the government’s plan to
boost revenues through temporary actions.
Similarly, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s early morning presser yesterday failed to give a clear
picture of the position of the two sides on the issues under discussion.
What we know is that Islamabad has agreed to impose taxes of Rs170bn, reduce untargeted gas
and energy subsidies, increase PDL on diesel by Rs10 to Rs50, raise allocations for BISP by Rs40bn
and cap the gas sector’s circular debt at its current level.
February 2023
With negotiations on the MEFP to continue virtually from Monday to discuss the measures
needed before the final agreement is signed, it is hoped that the two sides will hammer out their
differences in the next few days. The outcome of the virtual discussions will nevertheless depend
on how wide apart the current positions are on the issues on the table.
The onus of convincing the Fund to soften some of its conditions and settle differences will
obviously be on Islamabad. Pakistan has so far found it tough to deal with the Fund in recent
months due to the former’s weakening credibility.
As a result, we have seen its reserves drop critically — to below $3bn because of dwindling official
foreign inflows.
We don’t know exactly what the final agreement with the IMF would entail for the people.
However, it is clear that the measures that are needed to put the economy back on track would
bring significant hardship to the common Pakistani, a price that can no longer be avoided or
minimised, unfortunately.
Conversely, the failure to close the deal quickly will have more serious consequences. There is a
lesson to be learnt from Sri Lanka. Things can get a lot more difficult for Pakistan if the talks drag
on unnecessarily.
Even a quicker agreement will not fetch us the IMF dollars before the middle of next month, but
it will unlock inflows from friendly countries and multilaterals to help shore up the fragile external
sector.
Women’s World Cup

FOR Pakistan, the second round of the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup is the promised land. In
the last seven editions, never have they gone beyond the first round and when they kick off their
campaign against arch-rivals India today, it is that obstacle they are looking to cross. Despite
losing pacer Diana Baig to injury, Pakistan are hoping they will play to their full potential in the
tournament in South Africa. It is the game against India though that will set the momentum for
Pakistan. Nevertheless, for a team that has a poor record at the World Cup, winning just seven
out of 28 games, they have beaten India twice in the tournament — in 2012, and then four years
later. Winning today could see Pakistan on their way to breaking the jinx. Speaking on Captains’
Day, Pakistan’s Bismah Maroof said she wanted her players to take the India game as any other
but admitted that expectations were high. The last time the two sides met was at the 2022
Commonwealth Games where Pakistan suffered defeat.
February 2023
Pakistan arrive at the T20 World Cup having lost a three-match series in Australia. Australia, the
defending T20 World Cup champions, won the opening two games by eight wickets before the
last game of the series was washed out. Since arriving in South Africa, Pakistan have recorded a
win and a loss — both by six-wicket margins — in their warm-ups. Their victory against
Bangladesh saw an inspired all-round performance by Nida Dar, one of the players Pakistan will
be looking to during the World Cup. In the defeat to South Africa, Aliya Riaz shone with bat and
ball. The two, alongside batters Bismah and Ayesha Naseem and fast bowler Fatima Sana will be
key to Pakistan’s World Cup hopes. Bismah has been vocal about how Pakistan’s players have
broken barriers to get where they are. Now is the time to shatter the glass ceiling at the World
Cup.
Spring festivals
WITH the cold of winter starting to recede and the freshness of spring already in the air, it is time
again for our annual literary festivals. Coinciding roughly with the season of birth and
rejuvenation, these festivals have become an important feature in the calendar, bringing
together curious minds from across the country and abroad for a few days of enlightening
discussions, impassioned debates and thoughtful recollections. One of these, the Pakistan
Literature Festival, is already underway at Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Centre. The three-day festival
was billed as featuring more than 50 sessions on entertainment, comedy, music and dance, as
well as book launches and discussions headlined by notable artists and intellectuals. It kicked off
on Friday with a warm welcome by Lahore’s spirited locals. Today (Sunday), the Faiz Aman Mela
was slated to begin in the afternoon at the Cosmo Club at Lahore’s Bagh-i-Jinnah. Attendees can
expect to be treated to musical performances, poetry, political debates, theatrical performances
and dance at the mela, which incorporates a call to hope, ie, ‘Umeed-i-sehar ki baat suno’. The
Faiz Mela has been held each year to commemorate the birth of revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmed
Faiz.
Also today, the Citizens Archive of Pakistan is holding the CAP Carnival 2023 at the Beach Luxury
Hotel in Karachi, with an exhibition from its archives, a craft bazaar and other fun activities. The
next weekend, the 14th Karachi Literature Festival is expected to draw literati and enthusiasts to
the same venue for a three-day event centred on the theme of ‘People, Planet and Possibilities’.
The weekend after, the Lahore Literary Festival will open its doors at the Alhamra Arts Centre.
This is not by any means an exhaustive list of all the cultural and social events taking place across
the country. There are concerts, melas and conferences, big and small, scheduled in most major
cities to engage the Pakistani citizenry and indulge their varying tastes. As the country gradually
shrugs off its winter stupor, what better way could there be to re-energise than to engage with
each other over our shared culture and to interact with some of the brightest minds of our times
through these various festivals? With the country at an unprecedented crossroads in its history,
these platforms can provide spaces where we can reimagine our collective future by sharing our
different perspectives and ideas.
February 2023
Ruffling political feathers

In today’s toxic political environment, words must be weighed exceptionally carefully lest they
are perceived as deliberately provocative — even if uttered in passing. On Friday in the Senate,
lawmakers from different parties decried remarks made by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial the
day before during a hearing of former prime minister Imran Khan’s petition against changes to
the NAB law.
The country’s top judge was reported as saying on the occasion that parliament was being kept
“systematically incomplete” and that elections were the “real answer” to the country’s issues.
Apparently alluding to former premier Mohammed Khan Junejo, whose government was
dismissed by Gen Ziaul Haq in the 1980s, the chief justice also said that the country’s most honest
PM had been sent packing by invoking a now repealed article of the Constitution.
On Friday, several senators voiced their objections to the comments as being “political” and
“against parliament and the legislative process”. The strongest criticism came from PML-N’s
Irfanul Haq Siddiqui who asked: “Who gave him [CJP] the privilege to declare prime ministers
from Liaquat Ali Khan to Imran Khan as dishonest?” Further, he saw the CJP’s “disturbing”
remarks as an attack on the prestige and sovereignty of the House which, unlike the judiciary or
the armed forces, comprises the representatives of the people.
Even for a periodically unstable country, this has been a particularly extended stretch of political
tumult — and there is still no end in sight. Instead of parliament being the forum to debate issues
and thrash out differences, the ‘action’ has moved to the superior courts — a shift in which the
PTI has belligerently led the way, though other parties have followed suit. Excessive
judicialisation of politics, as is presently the case, blurs institutional boundaries. That, in turn,
stunts the democratic process. The superior judiciary’s history is troubling on this count: consider
how many times it has legitimised military coups and the overthrow of elected governments, not
to mention sent an elected PM to the gallows.
It is true that in a transitional democracy, institutional boundaries are perpetually under pressure
from one quarter or another; but it is up to each institution to fight for its space. Instead, today’s
civilian leadership is willfully allowing its domain to be breached.
Meanwhile, although we have been spared the performative excesses of the likes of retired
justices Iftikhar Chaudhry and Saqib Nisar, the well-publicised rifts within the superior judiciary
in recent years have not redounded to its credit either. Most dam-aging perhaps is that the
factors that gave rise to these differences convey an impression of a not entirely impartial and
apolitical arbiter. That is all the more reason for even casual observations made from the bench
to be anodyne and non-committal.
February 2023
Another lynching
THERE is no question about it: we are living in a hell of our own making. The kind of mediaevalism
that was witnessed in Nankana Sahib on Saturday, when a mob of hundreds of enraged men,
lynched a blasphemy suspect and attempted to set his body on fire, is not new. Neither is the
fact that the suspect was snatched from police custody. Almost exactly a year ago, on Feb 12,
2022, a mentally unstable man was stoned to death in Khanewal district for the alleged
desecration of the Holy Quran, after a crowd wrested him away from the law enforcers. And that
incident had come within weeks of the gruesome lynching in Sialkot of a Sri Lankan factory
manager at the hands of a frenzied mob that had accused the foreigner of blasphemy. There
seems to be no end in sight to this list of victims, both Muslim and non-Muslim, killed on the
mere suspicion of committing blasphemy. Sadly, the fanatical mindset responsible for the deed
is not the preserve of the unlettered; it is seen everywhere, including in our halls of learning as
the case Mashal Khan, who was killed by fellow students on campus in April 2017, proves.
The latest incident has elicited condemnation from politicians and representatives of the clergy,
with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asking why the police were unable to prevent the incident.
Two police officials have been suspended and a probe has been ordered. But what good is that?
Are such actions going to forestall similarly grisly occurrences in the future? Unfortunately, as we
have said previously, there are no quick fixes. Over the decades, it is the state that allowed
extremism to grow at home, often weaponising religion for its own ends. The remedy too lies
primarily with the state — but it is not an easy one. Deep-rooted reform is needed that goes well
beyond simply reassessing the blasphemy laws; it starts with revamping education in schools to
promote inclusive thinking and with cracking down on groups and individuals that spew hate
against those who hold different beliefs. In this endeavour, perhaps the government can enlist
the help of organisations such as the HRCP — which has lately published an informative
document on the status of religious minorities. Even in these times of economic distress, the
government must not relegate the issue to the back-burner.
Poor tax collection

AT a time when the government is struggling to seek a bailout from the IMF, the 0.4 percentage
point drop in the tax-to-GDP ratio in the first half of the current fiscal to 4.4pc from 4.8pc last
year should worry the government. The decline, which represents a multi-year trend, reinforces
concerns that the FBR will not be able to attain even the extremely low targeted tax-to-GDP ratio
of nearly 9pc for the ongoing fiscal. No wonder the IMF is insisting on new, permanent tax
measures to fill the resource gap — one of the reasons said to be behind the delay in the
conclusion of an agreement with the Fund.
February 2023
The reduction in the tax-to-GDP ratio is not surprising considering the poor performance of the
tax collectors, particularly in the last five years. Falling tax collection is at the core of Pakistan’s
financial and external woes as it is forcing successive governments to run huge budget deficits
and accumulate massive public debt, domestic and foreign, to fill the widening gap. It is also
resulting in a rapid decrease in development spending, a growing debt-servicing burden, and an
increase in indirect taxes and levies on both documented businesses and consumers.
There are multiple reasons behind Pakistan’s low tax-to-GDP ratio, regarded as one of the lowest
internationally, and they include a flawed, corrupt and inefficient tax structure. Sadly, the
government’s lack of political will and inability to make it difficult — let alone impossible — for
tax evaders to spend their illegal money has cost the country dearly. Instead of enforcing
measures to stop the circulation of illegal money in the economy, government policies encourage
tax evasion. These policies have, for example, turned the real estate sector into a parking lot for
dirty money. There is also no limit to the number of bank accounts an undocumented person can
open, while a taxpayer is required to produce a raft of documents as proof of legitimacy of their
income sources. In spite of the FBR’s claims that it had collected data on over 3m persons who
live in luxury, frequently travel abroad and drive expensive cars, the revenue collector has failed
to widen the tax net. Successive administrations have focused attention on increasing the
number of tax filers but conveniently ignored the fact that few new filers are eligible to be taxed.
A large number file their returns to only take advantage of the difference in the withholding tax
rates for filers and non-filers. The tax-to-GDP ratio is unlikely to increase unless the government
implements measures to ensure that those spending illegal money pay the highest tax rates on
the purchase of real estate, cars, foreign travel, etc. Without this, it will not be able to expand
the tax net or raise the tax-to-GDP ratio to internationally acceptable levels.
Rangers’ violence
A video of a motorcyclist being beaten on a busy road in broad daylight by Rangers personnel has
gone viral on social media, invoking condemnation and anger. The footage shows a Rangers van
speeding down a busy road, and knocking over a motorcyclist before several uniformed men kick
him and beat him with sticks.
It is unclear why the personnel are beating the motorcyclist, but many have stated that this
brutality is in keeping with our law enforcers’ typically arrogant public behaviour. Others,
however, have suggested that the man may have been a suspected robber and that the Rangers
apprehended him on the street as he tried to escape. Even if the latter is true, public beating —
often by those who are supposed to uphold the law — is uncalled for and counterproductive. It
shows how high-handed officials can be; not only do they have little concern for the onlookers,
they also forget that no justice system sanctions this sort of violent behaviour.
February 2023
Many on social media drew parallels between this latest episode and the controversial case from
a decade ago when a man was shot and killed by Rangers in a public park. That case sparked
outrage, but eventually those convicted were pardoned by the president after reports that the
family of the victim had reached an out-of-court compromise.
These episodes show once again that the country needs law-enforcement officials to behave with
the dignity and professionalism their duty demands. Beating unarmed people in the streets, even
if they are believed to be criminals, simply points to a broken justice system where rage and
vengeance dictate actions.
There must be an official explanation of the events in the video, and the higher-ups must ensure
that such public displays of violence are discouraged. They create an unnecessary spectacle for
an already brutalised society, where frustrated citizens are only too ready to emulate violent
behaviour and take the law into their own hands.
Organ racket
THANKS to the sustained efforts of activists and health professionals, the illegal organ
transplantation trade has come down greatly in Pakistan after this deplorable practice was
criminalised in 2007. However, as reports of a gang busted recently in Rawalpindi show, the
racket is still continuing on a smaller scale, as unscrupulous individuals seek to harvest the organs
of the poor and the desperate in order to make unholy profits. As reported in this paper, the gang
was busted after law enforcers searched a car in the garrison city’s Bahria Town area in which a
victim was being transported. Investigations revealed that criminals had harvested the indebted
brick kiln worker’s kidney after promising to help him address his financial woes. The man was
given an injection and after regaining consciousness, he found he was missing a kidney. The
criminals reportedly paid the victim’s brother Rs200,000 for his organ, while the racketeers
usually charge ‘beneficiaries’ of these illegal transplants — usually moneyed Arabs — around
Rs5m. The procedure had been carried out in a private residence.
The authorities need to remain vigilant to bust more such networks involved in the illegal organ
trade. While most of these activities were carried out in Punjab, criminals had shifted their
activities to KP and AJK to avoid detection. That is why law enforcement and health authorities
of all federating units need to work together to bust the rackets. Monitoring needs to be stepped
up, so that crooked doctors and agents involved in this evil trade can be prosecuted. This will
need to be prioritised, as in these times of economic misery, malign actors will increasingly prey
upon the vulnerable to part with their organs for paltry sums. Unfortunately, cases against
perpetrators are not properly pursued, as dishonest doctors have been known to escape the legal
dragnet and resume their activities. And while cracking down on the illicit organ trade, ethical
transplantation and deceased organ donation must be promoted.
February 2023
Caught at sea
POOR fishermen on both sides of the border are amongst the hardest-hit victims of the decades-
old Pakistan-India enmity. The men are hauled up by the respective authorities when they
mistakenly stray into the other state’s territory, and end up languishing in jail for years, with their
vessels confiscated and their families usually reduced to penury. When the fishermen are finally
released their families are naturally overjoyed, as was witnessed recently when 12 of them
returned home to Karachi. It was an emotional homecoming when fathers, brothers and sons
rejoined their loved ones. Some of the men had been in Indian jails reportedly for over a decade.
While in years past there have been reports of cruel treatment meted out to Pakistani fishermen
in Indian jails, this time the men said that they had been treated in a more humane fashion.
This cruel cycle of capturing and incarcerating fishermen needs to be abandoned by both states.
At times an entire family’s breadwinners — working on the same boat — end up in a foreign jail,
and when their seized boats are not returned, the men lose their sources of livelihood and have
to start from scratch. These factors only worsen their fragile financial condition. Unfortunately,
the bureaucracies on both sides are least interested in the fishermen’s plight, and were it not for
the efforts of community activists and civil society, repatriating the men would be even more
difficult. There are no markings at sea indicating the maritime boundary, which means that
whenever a vessel crosses to the other side, it is captured and the crew incarcerated. Also
complicating matters is the bilateral dispute regarding Sir Creek, an area frequented by fisherfolk
from both sides. Instead of arresting fishermen and putting them through labyrinthine
subcontinental legal systems, Pakistan and India need to evolve a common mechanism so that
fisherfolk who stray across the maritime boundary are warned and told to turn back. And in case
they are detained, the fishermen need to be repatriated swiftly, instead of having to spend years
in prison. According to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea — which both states are party
to — arrested crew and vessels need to be promptly released after “posting reasonable bond or
other security”. The least both states can do is to honour this commitment to lessen the misery
of fishermen.
Tainted legacy
TIME heals all wounds; including, it seems, entirely imaginary ones. Imran Khan seems to be
mellowing during his extended hiatus from in-person public appearances. He is now in a ‘forgive
and forget’ mood, at least as far as the United States of America is concerned.
He no longer sees the Biden administration as an insidious foreign power that conspired with his
political opponents to throw him out of office.
February 2023
“New information has come to light,” the former prime minister sheepishly explained to a Voice
of America correspondent in a recent interview. According to this ‘new information’, it wasn’t
conniving foreign officials who conspired to have him thrown out, but his own army chief who
urged Washington that Mr Khan needed to go.
The PTI chief’s narrative makeover — call it a U-turn if you like — seems to have been prompted
by the recent publication of an interview of the now retired Gen Qamar Bajwa, in which the
general described Mr Khan as the greatest threat to Pakistan’s interests.
Pakistan was headed for disaster if Mr Khan continued in office, Gen Bajwa was quoted as saying,
and this is apparently why he was removed. Those remarks have seemingly incensed Mr Khan
enough to turn his guns squarely on the former army chief.
In a Sunday address, Mr Khan asked — and perhaps with good reason — what was accomplished
by throwing him out of office when his successors made matters worse with their deplorable
handling of the economy.
He also accused Gen Bajwa of exercising sweeping powers in most matters of governance, leaving
it to the PTI to take all the blame. While Mr Khan’s new allegations seem desperate and
conveniently timed, they do appear to hold a kernel of truth.
Both the PML-N and the PTI have, on record, accused the retired general of political interference
and toppling their respective governments. Though the extent of his influence may never become
public, it does appear from the general’s own statements that he seems to have taken a keen
interest in matters that were well outside his purview.
The results of his extracurricular activities were catastrophic: the country grew increasingly
polarised while he played one side and then the other. His critics say it was all for personal gain,
even if he insists he was acting in the public interest.
The general also left the armed forces facing a reputational crisis unlike any before. Given the
extent of damage wrought to the state and its institutions during Gen Bajwa’s tenure, there must
be some kind of reckoning.
The Bajwa doctrine must be reassessed, and its known and lesser-known dimensions audited in
depth and brought into the public eye. The fresh garb of ‘neutrality’ no longer seems enough to
excuse the latest misadventures of our uniformed leadership.
February 2023
Gas price increase

BY raising gas prices by up to 113pc for six months, the coalition government has implemented
another IMF-mandated prior action for the resumption of its stalled bailout package. Even if the
hike had not been ‘imposed’, an increase in the rates would have been inevitable to save the two
gas companies from bankruptcy.
The increase — to take effect from last month — will help the government recover Rs310bn from
consumers in the second half of the current fiscal and slow down the build-up in gas sector debt.
Another rise in gas prices is expected from July.
If the gas sector’s long-term sustainability is to be ensured, the authorities will have to move
beyond periodic hikes in prices to linking gas rates to the global market. Indeed, this will be tough
for both the industry and residential users of the piped fuel because it will involve the removal
of massive, unsustainable subsidies.
But it is time that a quarter of Pakistani households connected to piped gas stopped their
wasteful and inefficient usage while the rest of the population, mostly low-income people, are
forced to use more expensive alternatives to cook and heat their homes.
Likewise, exporters must move to higher value-added exports rather than blackmailing every
government into subsidising their inefficiencies.
Such a step should also help the government move towards the goal of uniform gas pricing
nationwide, eliminating the cost advantage to Karachi-based textile and other export industries
over their counterparts from Punjab and upcountry.
Pakistan’s economic issues are long-standing and their solutions — though tough — known to
everyone. However, it is unfortunate that no government has ever had the political will to sort
them out.
Whatever half-hearted ‘reforms’ successive governments initiated were implemented under

pressure from international creditors. This has brought us to a situation where the global rating
agency Fitch has downgraded Pakistan’s long-term foreign currency issuer default rating to ‘CCC-
’ from ‘CCC+’, citing further worsening in liquidity and policy risks along with pressure on
reserves.
The drop comes four months after Fitch revised down the ranking to CCC+. It said the downgrade
reflected a sharp deterioration in external liquidity and funding conditions, along with the decline
in foreign exchange reserves to critical levels.
The agency assumes a revival of the IMF programme but doesn’t rule out “large risks to continued
programme performance and funding, including in the run-up to this year’s elections”. In its view,
February 2023
a default or debt restructuring is an increasingly real possibility as the country’s reserves drop to
less than three weeks of imports.
With Pakistan’s credibility at its lowest point and the ruling elite showing no sign of a desire to
change their lifestyles, it is foolish to expect the world to bail us out. Why should it unless we are
willing to take substantial measures ourselves?
Code of conduct
IT is telling of the vitiated state of Pakistan’s present-day politics that even outlining a bare
minimum ‘code of conduct’ for our politicians, along the lines of what has been proposed by PPP
chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, seems like a monumental challenge. To wit, the proposed code
of conduct is meant to ensure that the political parties “do not cross the line while confronting
each other”. The PPP plans to invite the PTI to join its discussion, even though an earlier effort to
mend fences through a multiparty conference on Pakistan’s outstanding issues fell flat on its face.
The idea is undoubtedly a good one, but it is doomed to fail in an environment where the
government and opposition have no trust in each other and view every step taken by the other
with deep suspicion. Though former prime minister Imran Khan had personally declined to attend
the MPC, the PTI was still open to sending a delegation of other leaders with a little mollification.
Instead, the government left it embarrassed after it ended up cancelling the event without
offering any reason. In that context, it is unsurprising that the opposition party is already
distrustful of this latest overture from another government party.
As Mr Bhutto-Zardari outlined his initiative, he noted: “If every party decides it will neither play
nor allow others to play, the nation will be the ultimate loser.” This is hardly a revelation.
However, our two recent governments — the incumbent, of which Mr Bhutto-Zardari is a part,
and the preceding, led by the PTI — have demonstrated this reprehensible tendency with equal
zeal. The PTI used to be widely criticised for abusing its powers and persecuting opponents
through sham cases. The PDM government has proven no better. It has chosen the same
despicable path of using the state machinery to browbeat political opponents. It has also shown
a willingness to disregard the law in its desperation to cling to power, much like the PTI did
towards its demise. If the country is to move forward from their mess, this will only begin with
an acknowledgement that the way power has been exercised is fundamentally wrong. As the
parties in power, the PDM and PPP have a greater responsibility in this regard. Will they rise to
the occasion? Despite being considered the ‘mature’ parties, they have disappointed quite
thoroughly thus far.
February 2023
‘Seditious’ utterances
THE PDM government appears hell-bent on clubbing its opponents, particularly those belonging
to the PTI, with the big stick of sedition. The latest political figure to face charges of making
‘seditious’ utterances is former finance minister Shaukat Tarin.
The FIA on Monday filed charges against Mr Tarin based on audio clips leaked in August in which
the former minister is allegedly heard advising the then PTI finance ministers of KP and Punjab
not to return surplus funds to the centre in order to sabotage talks with the IMF.
Shaukat Tarin claims the clips have been ‘tampered’ with. Other PTI figures who have recently
faced the sword of sedition include Fawad Chaudhry, Shandana Gulzar, Azam Swati and Shahbaz
Gill.
The loose application of the sedition law, particularly to silence opponents, needs to stop. Mr
Tarin’s comments — if proved to be true — were indeed highly inappropriate. He should have
known better than to recommend undermining talks on such a sensitive issue, considering the
fact he has served in government multiple times.
However, bringing these indiscretions within the ambit of sedition is simply absurd. A parallel
investigation also needs to take place probing who bugged the former minister’s phone.
The fact that intelligence agencies, military and civilian, are listening in on private conversations
is unsettling. Though it is true that, when in power, the PTI hounded its political adversaries by
using the same unseemly tactics, the politics of vengeance and retribution must come to an end.
All stakeholders need to step back and work towards bringing civility to politics.
The rapid-fire filing of cases against opponents needs to be done away with, especially on such
grave charges — before the practice turns into an endless loop of revenge.
Moreover, the sooner the sedition law is done away with, the better, as rather than containing
anti-state activity, this odious legislation is used to keep critical voices in check by both civilian
and military rulers.
February 2023
More taxes
THE inevitable came to pass yesterday when Finance Minister Ishaq Dar introduced additional
tax measures in order to generate Rs170bn over the remainder of the current fiscal, ahead of the
resumption of bailout talks with the IMF.
The revenue to be generated, once parliament approves the bill, is supposed to help ‘balance’
this year’s budget by holding down the deficit to targeted levels and to take us a step closer to
the final deal with the IMF.
Considering the limited time and options, some would argue that the government has done well.
The bulk of the cash will be generated from the increase in the standard rate of consumption tax
from 17pc to 18pc and the imposition of excise duty on the tobacco industry, air tickets and
sugary beverages.
The rest will come from other measures, such as adjustable advance tax on wedding hall bills.
Threatened by default, the coalition had little choice but to expedite its ‘prior actions’ to meet
the Fund’s demands and secure the bailout programme, which will also unblock other
multilateral and bilateral inflows. But their continued dependence on indirect taxes for revenue
mobilisation underscores successive governments’ penchant for taking the easy route because
of the reluctance to tax the rich and mighty and expand the net even when an opportunity such
as this presents itself.
The imposition of taxes on retailers, large farmers, real estate transactions, etc, may not have
yielded immediate tax gains, but it certainly would have been a major step towards correcting
the flawed tax structure and reducing reliance on indirect taxation, which hurts the low-middle-
income households the most.
Most additional tax measures will escalate the pace of monthly consumer price inflation, which
has already surged to its 48-year high of 27.6pc, and bring low-income families further under
pressure.
Food prices are going up — much beyond the reach of the average Pakistani — and many expect
poverty and hunger to increase.
In his speech in the National Assembly, Mr Dar admitted that the measures being taken by his
government to fix the economy by controlling fiscal and current account deficits are going to be
very painful for most people in the country, but claimed that these measures would ensure price
stability and raise (personal) incomes.
That’s a rhetorical statement that we regularly hear from each finance minister as they heap
more misery on the common people through their tax and other policies.
February 2023
The new taxes may offer a temporary solution to the fiscal woes of the government, just like the
IMF deal will bring short-term respite on the external front. But these are not likely to address
the larger flaws of an ailing economy.
The government must dig deeper and go beyond its routine of balancing the budget through
temporary fixes.
Ali Wazir’s release

A LONG, condemnable chapter of state persecution may be coming to a close with the release of
Ali Wazir on Tuesday after two years-plus behind bars. The South Waziristan MNA and PTM
leader had been held in Karachi’s Central Jail since December 2020 while being tried in a string
of sedition cases after his arrest for a controversial speech at a rally. Mr Wazir finally won his
freedom after a court granted him bail in the remaining case against him. Bail does not mean
acquittal of course, and the threat of a trial remains hanging over Mr Wazir’s head — but trying
him was never the objective. This was a man who had voiced opinions that had enraged the state,
and he had to be taught a lesson. The malice that underpinned his continued incarceration was
glaringly apparent. Applications for bail were repeatedly turned down, and although he was
acquitted of the original charge last November, three other similar cases filed against him in
Karachi and one in KP’s Miram Shah kept the legislator deprived of his liberty. It did not matter
that the constitutional protections guaranteed to Mr Wazir as a citizen of Pakistan — including
the rights to due process and to security of person were trampled underfoot. Nor did it matter
that the people of South Waziristan who had elected Mr Wazir as their representative were left
without a voice in the National Assembly. Shamefully, most of his fellow legislators and sections
of the media also lost their voice, willfully so, and remained silent in the face of this gross
injustice.
Even more astonishing, the Sindh government, within whose jurisdiction Mr Wazir was
imprisoned, appeared helpless in protecting his rights. The MNA thus did not see the outside of
prison for 16 months, although he should have at least been able to attend the sessions of the
National Assembly whose rules provide for production orders to be issued to detained lawmakers
that enable them to do so. While this rule was not followed consistently during Imran Khan’s
government, a production order was finally issued for Mr Wazir — but only when his vote was
needed for the no-trust motion against Mr Khan when the then premier and the establishment
had clearly fallen out. Mr Wazir’s ordeal is the very antithesis of what a society based on the rule
of law looks like.
February 2023
India’s BBC raids

THE recent BBC documentary raising troubling questions about Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s role in the 2002 Gujarat anti-Muslim pogrom has hit a nerve in Delhi. While India: The
Modi Question was earlier banned and those who organised or attended screenings were
rounded up, the Indian state has now gone after the British public broadcaster itself. Tax officials
have raided the BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai over claims of “vast diversion of profits” as
well as “manipulation”; computers of staffers have been searched while phones have also been
confiscated. It is safe to assume that the raids have little to do with alleged tax improprieties, and
more to do with the contents of the documentary. The opposition as well as press freedom
advocates in India have cried foul, with the Congress dubbing the actions part of an “undeclared
emergency”. The BBC, meanwhile, in a diffident response, said it was “fully co-operating” with
the Indian authorities.
Such tactics by the Modi government are not new. In the past, those media outlets that have
failed to toe the official line have also had unpleasant visits from the taxman; journalists have
been arrested as well, particularly at the time of Covid-19, for questioning the government’s
response to the pandemic. This highlights a troubling trend where either the media has to fall in
line or pay the price. We in Pakistan are all too familiar with such authoritarian methods to tame
the media. However, India’s claims of being a democratic state are seriously dented through such
moves. Unfortunately, hungry for state advertising, many outlets have yielded to pressure. The
result has been an editorial line that rabidly promotes Hindutva, casts aspersions on Indian
Muslims’ patriotism, and paints Pakistan as the eternal enemy, while branding all criticism of the
state as ‘anti-national’. The world community needs to condemn these steps towards muzzling
the media, and support those in India working for a free press.
Progressive measures
A SENSIBLE initiative is on the cards that proposes to use technology and the huge Nadra
database to address critical social issues that affect young people in our midst at various stages
of their life. The health ministry and the National Committee for Maternal and Neonatal Health
in collaboration with the Association for Mothers and Newborns have developed an online
course, called Bakhabar Noujawan, on 26 different topics for individuals between 15 and 29 years
of age. It aims to equip them with evidence-based knowledge so they can make informed
decisions about their health and well-being that will impact society as a whole. Among the most
important of these topics is reproductive health. At a consultative meeting in Islamabad to
discuss the initiative, it was suggested that this component be made mandatory for marriage
registration, to which the Nadra chairman — who was one of the participants — expressed his
willingness. Other proposals that emerged were for the age of couples to be verified at the time
of marriage registration in order to prevent child marriages.
February 2023
Lack of awareness about maternal health, contraceptives and spacing between births is a major
hurdle in controlling the birth rate. Nearly 19,000 babies are born each day in Pakistan, a rate
entirely unsustainable within our resources. Aside from Pakistan’s alarming birth rate, its
maternal mortality rate, despite improvement, is still extremely high even compared with
countries like Iran and Sri Lanka. This health emergency has a symbiotic link with underage
marriage as the rigours of pregnancy and childbirth pose inherent dangers to young females.
These are all pragmatic and doable proposals, although they must be taken further such as rolling
out Urdu and regional language versions of the course, which at present is in English. On the
other hand, the proposed national sex offenders’ registry, while a commendable idea in theory,
is largely dependent on the criminal justice system being able to apprehend such individuals in
the first place.
Taliban-TTP nexus
IF the analysis of an American government think tank stating that the Afghan Taliban are unwilling
to end their support for the banned TTP is accurate, it would put to rest the illusion harboured
by some in our security establishment that a Taliban government in Kabul is good for Pakistan. If
anything, the US Institute of Peace report paints an unsettling picture, which shows that not only
are the Afghan rulers allowing TTP fighters to freely operate on their soil, but that they believe
that Pakistan will not launch a full-blown anti-TTP operation because of its financial woes. The
report observes that TTP operatives move freely in Afghanistan, while adding that “the Afghan
Taliban remain very supportive of the TTP and are providing the group with a permissive safe
haven”. Moreover, there appears to be support for the TTP within Afghan society beyond the
Taliban due to deeply entrenched anti-Pakistan views. In fact, some of the bombers who carried
out attacks inside Pakistan have been identified as Afghans. And while some within the Taliban
ruling elite, such as the Haqqani faction, favour a softer line towards Pakistan, and have tried to
stop the TTP from launching attacks against this country, Taliban supremo Mullah Hibatullah
Akhundzada remains convinced Pakistan’s system is “un-Islamic”, much as his ideological
comrades in the TTP do.
Where Pakistan’s security is concerned, there were warnings all along that the Afghan Taliban
would do little to rein in the TTP, and these findings only confirm those fears. While Pakistan’s
options may be limited, it needs to firmly let the Taliban rulers know that hosting and supporting
a group visibly hostile to this country will have far-reaching implications. For one, Pakistan should
stop defending Kabul’s rulers at international fora unless they clean up their act. Moreover, while
times may indeed be tough, the state needs to make it clear that the TTP and other terrorists
trying to harm Pakistan will be dealt with severely on the battlefield. Also, Pakistan should
coordinate with regional states to communicate to Kabul that terrorists cannot find a safe haven
on Afghan soil. Russia, China, Iran and the Central Asian states are all wary of terrorist groups
finding refuge in Afghanistan, and Pakistan needs to use regional platforms to let the Taliban
know that either they can neutralize the terrorists, or face further isolation.
February 2023
Despondent public
A sense of quiet despair hangs thick in the air. With Ramazan around the corner and Eid to follow
right after, the inflation-weary citizenry must once again sit down for the depressing task of
trimming their household budgets if they wish to continue to make ends meet. Even those who
have been lucky to keep their heads above the water despite wave after wave of inflation will
soon find it a challenge to stay afloat.
The average 33pc inflation forecast for the first half of this year by Moody’s is likely to prove a
trial by fire for the majority of Pakistani households already facing rapidly depleting savings and
a constant struggle to balance their books. “There’s still an inevitably tough journey ahead,” as
Moody’s senior economist Katrina Ell told Reuters in a recent interview.
Low-income households will face an immense burden since much of the inflation is now being
driven by non-discretionary items like food. “Food prices are high, and they can’t avoid paying
for that, so we’re going to see higher poverty rates as well feed through,” Ms Ell noted in her
interview.
The State Bank is also likely to continue jacking up interest rates to combat the surging inflation,
which means that borrowing costs will skyrocket and create additional pressure on domestic
demand. The most frustrating aspect of these painful adjustments is that they may still not be
enough to get the country out of the hole its financial managers have gotten it in.
While we may justifiably point fingers at Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for his disastrous
mismanagement of the economy in the past few months, as well as the State Bank for failing in
its task of acting as a force of reason in that same period, the roots of the problem go much
deeper.
The ravaging of the Pakistani economy has been wrought by fiscal malfeasance at the highest
levels of power. The country has for years lived well beyond its means, hooked onto its
calamitous spending habits by a section of the elite that continues to grow fat preying on its
people’s future. Even today, while the vast majority is being forced to give up a pound of flesh
for their rapacious decisions, they remain insulated from any real pain.
Attention must be brought to the fact that the ‘mini-budget’ recently unveiled by the government
has done nothing to extricate the economy from their fell clutches. There is not even a hint that
those currently in power are even contemplating dismantling the network of subsidies and
privileges that exists solely to benefit the country’s elite to the tune of billions of dollars every
year. This is the greatest betrayal that the Pakistani people must hold their leaders to account
for. All else is secondary.
February 2023
Audacious raid
SECURITY experts have been proved correct in their assessment that the bloodthirsty TTP
juggernaut would sooner rather than later move beyond KP and start spreading havoc in the rest
of the country.
Mere weeks after the devastating attack targeting the Peshawar Police Lines mosque, the
terrorist group claimed responsibility for striking Karachi on Friday evening. It raided key police
installations on the arterial Sharea Faisal, raising questions about the efficacy of the national
counterterrorism policy — if, indeed, there is one.
As these lines were being written, the law enforcers’ counter-attack had successfully ended the
assault on the Karachi Police Office and its allied facilities. But the entire event brought back
painful memories of violent past episodes in the metropolis where the TTP has launched
murderous, brazen assaults. These include the 2011 Mehran Base raid, as well as the 2014 attack
on the Karachi airport.
There has been no let-up in TTP violence. For example, on Thursday, the terrorists attacked CTD
personnel in Punjab’s Kalabagh area, in Mianwali district, while a few weeks earlier, members of
the banned outfit had raided a police station in the same district, located close to KP. But Friday’s
attack in Karachi is a far more complex operation.
The militants targeted an area in the heart of the city, where several facilities of the military,
police and other security agencies are located. This is a breach of unacceptable proportions, and
clearly our collective security and intelligence apparatus was caught off guard, with devastating
consequences.
Police and Rangers’ back-up had to be called in from the entire city, while the provincial
government also sought the military’s help. If one terrorist raid can bring Karachi’s entire security
apparatus to the field, what havoc might more complex militant operations cause?
This is another wakeup call for the squabbling politicians who rule in our name, as well as the
security establishment that keeps reminding us that ‘all is well’. Clearly, both stakeholders must
understand the true situation.
According to media reports, the federal interior minister told a TV channel he was under the
‘impression’ that militants did not have ‘access’ beyond KP and Balochistan.
His impression was obviously flawed. The terrorists have the ability, as well as the links and
operational wherewithal, to strike at will, while the state’s response has been largely
unimpressive. This must change.
February 2023
In the Karachi strike, it is likely that sleeper cells were activated, as there is no shortage of
sympathisers of the TTP in the port city in the shape of cadres and fighters of ‘jihadi’ and sectarian
groups.
It should also be remembered that over the last few decades, major Al Qaeda operatives have
been apprehended from the metropolis. Whatever the facts, the state needs to act now before
more such attacks take place.
More ‘leaks’
YET again, secretly taped recordings of conversations involving prominent public figures have
been ‘leaked’ to the public, this time dragging the country’s superior judiciary into controversy.
The recordings, which the government claims are proof of PML-Q leader and former Punjab chief
minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi ‘fixing’ cases before a preferred judge, were played by Interior
Minister Rana Sanaullah at a press conference on Thursday. Referring to the tapes, Mr Sanaullah
asked the judiciary to “prevent an irreparable loss to its credibility”. The interior minister claimed
that the political actors who were once helped to power by the establishment now want a lifeline
from the judiciary. “They want to make the judiciary subservient,” he claimed.
Whether the recordings are real or doctored seems secondary to the fact that it is now a given
that our state has been — likely illegally — spying on its own citizens. Mr Sanaullah seems
convinced of the authenticity of these tapes, so the question arises: who recorded them? It may
be noted that there are only a handful of state institutions that have the capability and resources
to spy on powerful individuals with such ease. Some of them report to the interior ministry. Has
Mr Sanaullah himself authorised the tapping of rival politicians’ phone calls? He had certainly
made light of the practice during the PM Office leaks saga. If not, has he made any effort to
determine who is involved in this illegal practice, and will they be held accountable? One also
wonders how many judges, bureaucrats, politicians and even ordinary citizens have been living
in fear of such leaks, and how many are being blackmailed with them. As far as the content of
the audio tapes is concerned, it would appear that it is now in the interest of the superior judiciary
to have the matter investigated. All individuals accused of interfering in and influencing judicial
proceedings should be given a chance to present a defence. If the probe finds any evidence of
wrongdoing, the consequences should be severe. Otherwise, the stench of the accusation will
continue to linger. If, however, no wrongdoing is proven, the interior minister should answer why
he has so publicly challenged the integrity of the judiciary. Perhaps he ought to be tried by the
same laws that he has been so keenly pushing to ‘protect’ the institutions of the state from
disrepute.
February 2023
Regressive mindset
THE Gomal University administration’s decision to ban the mixing of male and female college
students on the pretext of security is an absurd development, and reeks of an Afghan Taliban
mindset that favours the policing of women. Female students have been told to ‘be careful’ and
are also being confined to their classrooms under this rule. The move follows an outdated yet
widely prevalent pattern where some officials in KP appear to be grudgingly allowing female
students to receive an education. In the past, there have been numerous instances where similar
thinking has resulted in the policing of female students’ clothing, or denying them access of some
kind. In 2018, the KP government called for banning the entry of male MPs and politicians in girls’
schools as guest speakers. The move was highly criticised on social media by rights and education
activists as a reflection of backward thinking. Then, in 2019, the provincial government decided
to make the wearing of an abaya or burka mandatory, a decision that was once again criticised
vehemently and ultimately reversed.
These incidents hold up a mirror to the regressive outlook on women’s right to education. If
security is indeed a concern, members of the provincial government should enforce the same or
stricter curbs on the movement of male students. Unfortunately, in our country, women often
bear the brunt of this discriminatory attitude, which has resulted in generations of women being
discouraged and restricted. The university needs to provide a logical explanation for how the
curtailing of female students’ movement will improve security. The government must question
the university administration’s decision and understand that, if allowed, this will be the beginning
of a new wave of resistance against girls’ education in the province. In a country where ‘security’
concerns are invoked to justify all sorts of restrictions, one can only imagine to what lengths
universities can go in creating problems for female students and limiting their progress.
Security stocktaking
Friday’s brazen attack by the banned TTP on the Karachi Police Office came as a violent jolt to the
system. It underscored the high vulnerability of what should be well-protected cities to terrorist
threats. The raid should lead to some stocktaking to identify the security and intelligence lapses
that led to the incident. Equally important is the need for the civilian and military leadership to
jointly hammer out a workable counterterrorism policy — indeed, a consensus that warring
political parties must also attempt to evolve together. Unfortunately, while the militants are
committed to their bloodthirsty agenda, the state is stumbling over an effective counter-strategy.
The situation which led to the assault did not develop overnight. Those who let the militants back
into Pakistan — whether members of the former PTI government, or the previous military
leadership — must explain.
At present, PTI leaders are accusing former COAS Qamar Bajwa of allowing TTP fighters and their
families back into Pakistan during the doomed peace negotiations with the terrorist group. While
February 2023
the previous military leadership did allow TTP cadres to return, former prime minister Imran Khan
also defended this disastrous policy, stating that the choice was either between killing “all of
them” or reaching an agreement and letting the militants settle in KP.
Today, we are reaping the bitter harvest of permitting large numbers of militants to return to
Pakistan. Secondly, whether it is Karachi or some other big city in the country, a support network
already exists for the militants in the form of ‘jihadi’ and sectarian actors sympathetic to the TTP’s
cause. These elements provide shelter and support to their ideological comrades, allowing them
to melt away into the urban sprawl. Hence any counterterrorism policy must also target these
militant facilitation networks already present in Pakistan.
Experts have called for a security audit in the wake of the Karachi attack. Certainly, a thorough
analysis of the weaknesses needs to be conducted. But looking at the big picture, strong
leadership — which is in very short supply — is needed to send a stern message to the terrorists
— that the state will not allow the militants to carry out their murderous agenda.
Sadly, our civilian leadership is too busy trading invective, while the military has also done little
to assure the people that it will crush the terrorist threat. The much-touted multiparty
conference on terrorism has been twice postponed, perhaps reflecting the lack of importance
our ruling elite attach to matters of public safety. This apathy must end. Sindh police officers,
backed by Rangers and military personnel, bravely put an end to Friday’s siege. The state needs
to do its bit and reassure our front-line security personnel, and the population, that it recognises
the nature of the threat, and is doing all it can to neutralise it.
Courting arrest
THE PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’, which it plans to commence from Lahore on Wednesday, Feb 22,
will be an acid test of the party’s as yet untested street power. There is no denying that the party
is capable of pulling large crowds for its jalsas in most major cities of the country. However, there
is a major difference between asking supporters to brave a few hours of hassle to hear their
leaders speak and expecting them to commit to spending an indefinite length of time behind
bars. Will the supporters deliver? It may be recalled that, just over a decade ago, the PTI had
been mocked relentlessly after one of its supporters had complained on camera about facing off
with the police while protesting on a hot day. “How are we to bring about a revolution if the
police keep beating us up?” he had asked the nation. Has the party’s support base finally
outgrown this youthful naiveté? It remains to be seen.
Another equally important question is whether Mr Khan really believes he can pull off a ‘jail
bharo’ movement or whether he is just pushing yet another button to prompt the establishment
to intervene. He has lately seemed quite averse to spending any time behind bars, having filed
bail pleas in multiple courts. In case the movement kicks off in earnest, he would be expected to
lead from the front. Is he ready to make that sacrifice for his political goals? Yet another question
February 2023
concerns the grounds on which PTI supporters will court arrest. The police can only take them in
custody if they have broken some law; so which law will it be? There is clearly a lot that remains
up in the air as the party embarks on its new adventure. Yet, however tempting it may seem for
the government to seize this opportunity to clamp down on the PTI, it would be better served by
exercising restraint. The PDM government, and especially the PML-N, have done themselves no
favours by acting with aggression while continuing to bungle basic governance and economic
management. They will gain nothing by vitiating the political environment further with a heavy-
handed response. Instead of making more unforced errors that may give their rival’s narrative
another fillip, they would be best served by simply sitting back and letting events take their
course.
Leopard’s day out

THINGS got about as wild as they can get in Islamabad’s DHA Phase II on Friday, when a leopard
kept as a pet by a known ‘unknown citizen’ escaped captivity and went on the lam, keeping the
entire neighbourhood, as well as a fascinated nation, occupied for a good six hours as frantic
wildlife workers scrambled to remove it to safety. The magnificent beast — considerably agitated
by his ordeal — was finally tranquillised at around 10pm, but not before it had injured three
individuals. It has since been removed to a sanctuary housed in the federal capital’s now-
shuttered Marghazar Zoo. Named ‘Deeaitchay’ by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board
staff, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the neighbourhood where it was found, it is reported to be
in good health.
The episode has once again shone a spotlight on the practice of keeping wild animals as exotic
pets, instances of which keep coming to light. In 2020, the Sindh Wildlife Department had to step
in after reports that a pair of giraffes was being kept in a residence in Karachi’s DHA. Nowadays,
one can also frequently find videos on social media of lions being kept as some kind of status
symbol by Pakistani citizens. The fact is that while these creatures may be a source of fascination
and provide some form of joy to their keepers, they remain dangerous and may revert to their
animal instincts at any time. Besides, it is incredibly cruel to keep a creature meant to roam the
wild confined in a small cage which is likely to stunt its physiological development. Animals have
also been known to grow depressed in captivity. Therefore, it ought to be unthinkable for anyone
to put them through such an ordeal for their personal pleasure. While implementing the various
laws regulating the ownership of animals is important, it seems equally necessary to educate the
citizenry in this regard.
February 2023
Poll announcement
AT a time when the country needs stability, President Arif Alvi’s decision to unilaterally announce
a date for elections in Punjab and KP has once again plunged Pakistan into political chaos.
Announcing the move through the president’s press office, Dr Alvi defended his decision as a
“constitutional and statutory duty”, and criticised the ECP and Punjab governor for allegedly
shirking their responsibilities. It is unclear how things will now unfold.
Constitutional law experts themselves are divided, with some asserting that the president is
within his rights to set a date for elections, while others emphasise that this is a matter that only
the ECP can decide. Are we facing a fresh constitutional crisis? Will the judges intervene, and will
we now be spectators to yet another drawn-out legal drama, with the courts deciding who is
right?
This fresh crisis will play out amidst multiple ongoing difficulties that are causing unimaginable
hardship to ordinary citizens. We are already on the brink of economic collapse — including
default — and are threatened by the resurgence of terrorist groups as the brazen attacks on law-
enforcement agencies across the country have shown.
It is Pakistan’s misfortune that the nation is going back to that familiar place of darkness,
confusion and disorder — all thanks to our political leaders, on both sides of the aisle, who have
no solutions to offer and are only experts in accusing each other of mala fide intent.
The country is at this precarious place because our politicians have yet again failed to provide
strong leadership. Time and again, they put their political survival first and the country second as
they focus their energies on manipulating the election date.
The ruling PML-N is hellbent on avoiding polls, for fear of being pummelled by its opponents as
it fails to curb inflation. It is twiddling its thumbs and waiting for a miracle, both in terms of a
financial lifeline and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s return.
The PTI, high on its evident popularity, is playing the role of spoiler and exploiting every rule in
the political playbook to force elections. Parliament is a circus, and the ECP, sadly, is being seen
as a rubber stamp for government actions.
Acrimony and the perpetual failure of the government and opposition to engage on matters that
demand immediate action mean that it is the judiciary or certain other powerful quarters that
might take political decisions.
The elected representatives will have only themselves to blame if those outside their domain
take advantage of the situation. Sanity must prevail. This paper has time and again advised the
government to go for early elections — across the country and not just in the two provinces. The
authorities must act wisely to prevent the country from reaching a point of no return.
February 2023
Judicial reform
RECENT remarks from a former Supreme Court justice regarding the “corruption” of the judiciary
— coming at a time when the role of the judiciary is being repeatedly brought into question by
political quarters — have opened the door for a critical reconsideration of how appointments are
being made to various tiers of our judicial system. Speaking at the Karachi Literature Festival,
former justice Maqbool Baqar noted that the judiciary has never been immune to corruption,
which he described as “not just financial, but moral, social and political as well”. He attributed
the rot to the process through which judges are inducted. Mr Baqar said nepotism, favouritism
and the sacrificing of merit in the selection process were the core reasons why the judiciary
became slowly compromised since independence.
Mr Baqar stressed that the judiciary’s independence ultimately boiled down to the kind of
individuals who led it. “You need character, courage and calibre,” he said, evidently indicating
that these traits were missing in the ‘weak links’ within the judiciary. His remarks swung a
spotlight onto a running debate over who should be considered worthy of elevation to the
Supreme Court — something he explicitly acknowledged. This debate has resulted in multiple
stand-offs at the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, where some have insisted on seniority, a simple
measure, as the basis for elevation, and others on merit, an arguably newer and more nebulous
approach. Both measures have some drawbacks, and it is unfortunate that the deadlock has yet
to be broken through a clear-cut, rationalised process for appointment. There is a widely held
perception that it is lawyers who are unable to run successful practices who end up in the lower
judiciary, where their career may stand a better chance due to its low barriers to entry. Though
it may not always hold true, this is a disappointing commentary on the state of our judicial
system. Coming back to the question of seniority versus merit, the dilemma would not exist if,
from the very lowest tier, the requirements for an appointment to the judiciary were set such
that only people of “character, courage and calibre” were inducted. Strengthening the
appointment process of judges at all tiers would not only prevent further corruption of the
judicial system but also make it simpler to make decisions about individuals’ progression without
having to worry about unfit judges compromising top offices.
Syria air strikes

ISRAEL’S irresponsible behaviour in the region has been a threat to Middle East peace for
decades. In particular, its foolhardy forays targeting Syria, especially since the 2011 war began,
risk igniting a greater regional conflagration. The latest Israeli blitz came early on Sunday, when
a number of air strikes rocked Damascus, including some residential areas of the Syrian capital.
The primary targets appear to be fighters aligned with Iran, which has stepped up its military
presence in Syria since the start of the civil war, as well as the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
While Tel Aviv has remained tightlipped, as usual, the Syrian state says the “Israeli enemy”
launched the assault from the occupied Golan Heights. Russia, a key supporter of the regime in
Damascus, has issued a rebuke, warning Israel to “put an end to armed provocations”. At least
15 fatalities have been reported, including civilians.
February 2023
This is not the first time Israel has struck civilian sites in Syria; in the past it has attacked airports
numerous times. Moreover, the fact that the strikes come at a time when northern Syria is reeling
from a devastating earthquake makes the Israeli actions particularly grotesque. Deliberately
targeting civilian areas is a war crime, and it is interesting to note that the self-declared
champions of the global ‘rules-based order’ remain silent on Israeli transgressions in Syria. The
violation of a sovereign state’s territory is unacceptable, and Tel Aviv’s foreign supporters need
to rein in their Middle Eastern protégé. Moreover, in a global scenario where the Ukraine war
threatens to transform into a more widespread confrontation between the pro-West camp and
the ‘rest’ led by Russia and China, the Israeli actions are akin to pouring fuel on fire. If the pro-
Iran Hezbollah or Hamas decided to lob a missile or two towards Israel in retaliation for the Syrian
attacks, Tel Aviv will have no one but itself to blame for the escalation.
Disparity in society
IN her remarks to a German broadcaster on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference last
week, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva set out the agenda for good fiscal governance
in Pakistan. “What we are asking for are steps that Pakistan needs to take to be able to function
as a country and not to get into a dangerous place where its debt needs to be restructured,” she
said.
Her advice: tax those who are earning well in both the public and private sectors and give
subsidies only to the poor who actually need it. That the IMF chief’s statement has come at a
time when Islamabad is struggling hard to close the deal with the international lender for the
restoration of the loan programme, amid fears of defaulting, shows that differences between the
two sides are far from settled.
From her talk it has also become evident that the IMF is not satisfied with the increase in the
consumption tax rate and wants the government to enhance income tax on the rich.
But it is still uncertain whether the IMF is asking only for an increase in income tax rates on
existing taxpayers or is pressing for broadening the net and pulling in all those who have evaded
paying their dues or who have undertaxed incomes from real estate, retail, agriculture, etc.
Hopefully, this should become clear in the coming days.
The more important question focuses on whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s politically
embattled government is ready to take the plunge and risk the anger of his party’s core
constituents from the retail and real estate sectors, and withdraw the massive energy and tax
subsidies given to powerful factory owners.
February 2023
So far, the government has shown virtually no signs of embarking on this ‘difficult’ route, as it
fears the electoral repercussions of annoying its vote bank. Rather, the rulers are trying to meet
the IMF’s revenue condition through enhancing indirect taxes, even though they are fully aware
that the move will heap further misery on low-income households that are already contending
with the effects of soaring inflation.
This is not what any caring government would do in a country that has the world’s second highest
number of out-of-school children, where nearly 10m youngsters suffer from stunting because of
chronic malnutrition and undernutrition, and where 70pc of households have no option but to
drink germ-infested water.
The ongoing economic crisis has increased financial and gender disparities. The main purpose of
a good tax policy is to bridge these gaps and to reduce economic differences by directly taxing
the affluent.
Sadly, our tax structure is geared only to further enrich the wealthy, and they are the ones who
control politics, directly or indirectly. Without a just socioeconomic order, the challenges will only
grow.
Terrorism coverage
AS Pakistan faces a resurgent wave of terrorism, important questions need to be discussed about
how the media covers acts of violence, especially pertaining to its live coverage of
hostage/combat situations. At the moment, rolling coverage of acts of terrorism and their
aftermath is the norm, as was witnessed during last week’s militant siege of the Karachi Police
Office. In this regard, electronic media regulator Pemra on Monday issued a notification banning
live coverage of terrorist attacks. The regulator cited a variety of reasons for its decision, including
the fact that such coverage can create hurdles in rescue and combat operations, adding that
media workers too could put their own lives at risk by ignoring protocols. Therefore, citing the
2015 media code of conduct, as well as other legal precedents, the authority banned the
broadcast, rebroadcast and live coverage of explosions, blasts and acts of terrorism.
There can be little argument with the point that hostage situations should not be covered live, as
the airing of sensitive material during such coverage can compromise security operations by
leaking confidential information to militant handlers who may be active outside the conflict zone.
A similar situation was witnessed during the terrorist attack targeting GHQ in 2009. In the
aftermath of that episode, the media fraternity hammered out a code of conduct concerning the
live coverage of such events. It is time media organisations themselves reviewed and updated
this code. Going live in such circumstances can put the lives of hostages as well as security and
rescue personnel at risk, as terrorists can have advance warning of the law enforcers’
movements. Yet the public also has a right to know, and in the absence of credible information
during such operations, wild rumours and outright lies can spread panic. Therefore, there needs
February 2023
to be a balance between maintaining operational secrecy and providing credible information to

the public. This can be done if the state appoints official spokespersons who can provide the
media with verified facts about a particular counterterrorism operation. It is also true that media
personnel need better training — particularly in reporting in active conflict zones — for their own
safety as well as those they are reporting on. The state should not arbitrarily ban media outlets,
but the media industry does need to discuss SOPs internally to ensure credible and responsible
coverage of acts of terrorism.
Silencing sexist vitriol

THE political arena has become an increasingly crass and ugly place, where invective has
overtaken debate, and basic civility is in critically short supply. For women politicians, it is far
worse because they also have to battle the entrenched prejudice against females in the public
space, which often emerges in the form of character assassination and threats. Social media
platforms amplify the sexist vitriol. On Monday, the National Commission on the Status of
Women in collaboration with the UNDP and UN Women held a consultative meeting on drafting
a code of ethics to stop hate speech against women politicians and thereby enhance their political
participation. One of the points highlighted on the occasion was that the ECP should include an
undertaking in their forms for contesting candidates that they will not insult or disrespect
women.
While women’s rights advocates have often called out those making female politicians the target
of hate speech, a formalised response is a welcome and much-needed step. The requirements of
a career in politics — interacting with people, of being accessible to them to a reasonable degree
— are the very antithesis of what patriarchy demands of women. The loaded language that
women politicians are often subjected to is therefore calculated to invite public scorn, essentially
to shame them into silence. When leaders of mainstream parties indulge in this kind of rhetoric,
as we have seen in the recent past, it sets the tone for their supporters to do the same. Of course,
criticism is an occupational hazard of public figures but it must be limited to their work. If fewer
women started venturing into politics, it would be a tremendous loss not only to the nation but
also to the education of their male counterparts. As the NCSW chairperson pointed out, just 17pc
women in parliament have led to men “behaving themselves on the floor of the House”. We need
more women in politics, not less.
February 2023
NAB chief’s exit

AFTAB Sultan, whom Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had described last July as “a man of
impeccable integrity, having an impressive past record” — someone whose “credibility is beyond
doubt” — has chosen to step down as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau, citing
“interference” and “pressure”. Though Mr Sanaullah had ‘hoped’ at the time of Mr Sultan’s
appointment that he would “steer the accountability drive without any partisanship”, it appears
that some quarters had no intention of letting him work on those terms. The PTI claims that he
had been under pressure to draw up corruption references against party chief Imran Khan, and
quit because he refused to do so. A press release from the Prime Minister’s Office cited ‘personal
reasons’, while also stating that the PM had appreciated Mr Sultan’s services, lauded his honesty
and uprightness, and only accepted the resignation at the latter’s insistence.
Though NAB has been almost completely incapacitated since the PDM government passed
legislation last year to render the country’s accountability laws toothless and ineffective, it is
unfortunate to see that the temptation to continue to use the institution to target political
opponents is still very much alive. Though Mr Sultan’s stay in office was short, he seems to have
had some success in retrieving NAB from under the constant cloud of notoriety which had
covered the institution during his predecessor’s tenure. It is commendable that he refused to let
NAB once again become an accessory to political persecution. There were reports that the retired
bureaucrat would receive “dictation” through telephone calls, and had been greatly frustrated
by the impression in the media that he had not been doing ‘enough’. How will NAB start acting
now that he has left? With political activities once again heating up, those who had been ordering
Mr Sultan around are unlikely to back down.
It is a huge embarrassment for the government that Mr Sultan — a retired Grade-22 officer with
a distinguished track record; who once stood up to a dictator and suffered for it — has decided
to go home rather than continue to serve. Attention will now turn to who will be appointed as
his replacement, and how. The PTI seems keen to return to parliament and take back the
leadership of the opposition in the House from Raja Riaz Ahmed, who cannot be expected to act
independently given his political leanings. Instead of insisting on appointing another NAB
chairman against the spirit of the appointment process, the government should let the PTI take
a seat at the table and decide on a name with mutual agreement. Given that some quarters are
quite intent on continuing to use NAB for political persecution, it would be very damaging to the
PDM’s credibility if it continues to act cynically on this matter.
Barkhan outrage
THERE appears to be no end to the tales of woe and misery emerging from Balochistan. While
the province’s misfortunes are well documented, the grim discovery of the bodies of a woman
and two young boys from a well in the Barkhan area only confirms that the law of the jungle
reigns supreme in the hapless province.
February 2023
According to the victim’s husband Khan Muhammad Marri, his wife Granaz and his two sons,
including a minor, were allegedly kept in the private jail of provincial minister Abdul Rehman
Khetran for the last four years. Police say the three bodies had gunshot wounds in the head and
showed signs of torture. As per Mr Marri, five more of his children, including a minor daughter,
remain illegally confined.
It remains unclear why the victims had been kept in the private jail, while in a video doing the
rounds on social media the woman, holding a copy of the Holy Quran, begs the state and society
to save their lives.
Mr Khetran, who was arrested yesterday, denied culpability, saying it is a ‘conspiracy’ against
him, while Marri tribesmen remain camped out in Quetta’s Red Zone with the victims’ coffins,
demanding justice. An FIR has been registered against ‘unknown’ suspects.
One wonders how such a gruesome state of affairs can exist in a nation which claims to be ruled
by the law. In large swathes of Pakistan, particularly Balochistan, the law has no meaning. This is
not the first time Abdul Rehman Khetran has been accused of running a private jail.
Such an illegal facility was discovered in 2014 when law enforcers raided his property in Barkhan
after he reportedly tortured police officers. Unfortunately, such grotesque behaviour is the norm,
and not an exception, especially in places where the feudal mindset is entrenched. But in a state
that supposedly adheres to the constitutional order, there can be no place for private jails.
The protesters in Quetta want action against Mr Khetran, and have also called upon the prime
minister to visit them. This inhuman crime must be thoroughly probed and the guilty brought to
justice, without considering their connections and clout.
Moreover, the remaining prisoners must be freed and the menace of illegal jails ended
throughout Pakistan. Our claims of being a civilised society will be meaningless if the killers of
Granaz’s children are not brought to justice.
Changing politics
CHAUDHRY Parvez Elahi’s decision to join the PTI betrays his desperation to stay relevant in
Punjab’s rapidly changing political environment. It was not a sudden decision; nor did it have
much to do with his expulsion from the PML-Q, a party he helped his cousin Shujaat Hussain form
more than two decades ago to provide political crutches to Gen Musharraf. Both the former chief
minister and his son Moonis Elahi had dropped enough hints that they were not averse to the
idea of merging their group within the PML-Q with PTI to further consolidate their alliance — as
‘advised’ by then army chief Gen Bajwa soon after the vote of no-confidence last year — with
Imran Khan. Only time will tell if the decision will pay off and whether the wily politician from
February 2023
Gujrat and his new leader succeed in helping one another achieve their respective political
ambitions.
More significantly, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi’s move underlines the diminishing clout of smaller,
family-based parties in provincial politics. Punjab has undergone tremendous demographic and
socioeconomic changes triggered by rapid urbanisation and growing access — both to urban and
rural demographics — to the internet, during the last one decade. These changes have altered
the political landscape across the province, leading to the reduction in the political influence of
Punjab’s traditional political families. Being seasoned politicians, the two cousins know only too
well that they need the platform, or at least the full backing, of the bigger national parties to win
the next elections. While one branch of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat has allied itself with the PTI for
its survival, the other led by Shujaat Husain has put all its eggs in the PDM basket and will
ultimately be forced to make seat adjustments with the PML-N to win even in the family
stronghold. The reality is that the name of the family patriarch, Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, is no
longer a guarantee that they will be returned to the assemblies.
Austerity measures
THE austerity measures announced by the federal government on Wednesday should not have
come as an afterthought. Pakistan had already been mired in a mushrooming economic crisis
when the PDM government took over.
There had been only two key priorities for the new government after it ousted the PTI from
power: keep the economy afloat and the state functioning till the next general election rolled
around.
The prime minister, it seems, had different plans. Eager to please the many partners in his
coalition government, he went on an appointment spree, inducting 34 ministers, seven ministers
of state, four advisers, and 40 special assistants to the PM, the last of whom were appointed just
weeks ago.
Despite this surfeit of men and women in official roles, however, his government remained
unable to prevent itself from stumbling right to the edge of default.
Now, after creating one of the most obscenely bloated cabinets at the worst possible time in our
economic history, the prime minister has assured us that he is taking stock.
With the country unable to finance its deficits, he has asked his ministers and advisers to forego
their salaries and benefits, give up their luxury vehicles, pay their utility bills out of their pockets,
stop staying in five-star hotels while abroad, and fly economy as part of a set of measures
intended to save Rs200bn a year.
February 2023
Other measures include a ban on the import of luxury items and cars for over a year and
entitlement to ‘only one’ official plot per government employee.
It is morally indefensible that the public officeholders of a country that keeps returning to
international lenders every few years for a bailout had continued to enjoy such extravagant
benefits for months after its financial woes became apparent. Cutting corners now, when the
country has been placed at the mercy of external creditors, seems too little, too late.
It is little wonder that the IMF has so far refused to extend the country any further help
considering how skewed its priorities have been and how obstinately the powerful have been
avoiding picking up the tab. Indeed, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva’s recent remarks
urging “a fairer distribution of the [inflationary] pressures by moving subsidies only towards the
people who really need it” had made her sound more concerned about the country’s ordinary
citizens than our own leaders.
The federal government, which must eventually turn to the public, has since been shamed out of
its inaction. The armed forces, too, are reportedly drawing up proposals to slash non-combat
expenditures.
It remains to be seen how the provincial governments and the judiciary respond. The powerful
should not expect the masses to continue acquiescing in their extravagance while they struggle
to put food on their own table.
Red herring
IT was a smoke-and-mirrors saga that was bound to collapse under the weight of its own
contradictions, and so it has proved over the course of the year. In the latest development, the
Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected identical appeals seeking a probe into the cipher that
Imran Khan claimed was evidence of a ‘foreign conspiracy’ to topple his government. Justice Qazi
Faez Isa at the hearing in his chambers asked why Mr Khan did not himself order an inquiry into
the affair given that as premier at the time he enjoyed full authority to do so, and added that the
court could not interfere in the executive domain. When one of the lawyers contended that an
investigation into the cipher was a matter of fundamental rights, he disagreed, asking what
impact the document had had on anyone’s life.
The saga of the cipher was a red herring from the outset when the PTI chief theatrically
brandished the purported document at a rally in March 2022. It was his last-ditch attempt to fire
up his support base when it became apparent that his government’s days were numbered and
the powers that be were not in ‘rescue mode’. However, in trying to paint his political rivals as
opportunistic villains who would even conspire with foreign powers to topple his government —
and their ‘handlers’ as passive observers watching this — Mr Khan showed an alarming lack of
February 2023
restraint. No doubt point-scoring is part of politics; we have been witness to it in its lowest form
by most mainstream parties in recent years. But the former prime minister put Pakistan’s
relationship with the US at risk by recklessly accusing a State Department official of threatening
this country; he also flouted convention by revealing a confidential exchange that is par for the
course in diplomatic circles. Two NSC meetings, one under Mr Khan as premier, did not find
evidence of any ‘conspiracy’, but the PTI chief would not back down. In recent months, he has
backtracked in degrees according to his shifting narrative, most recently saying in an interview to
foreign media that former army chief Gen Qamar Bajwa, and not the US, was to blame. “And so,
[the plan to oust me] wasn’t imported from there. It was exported from here to there,” he
claimed. It is a bizarre twist, even for a wholly outlandish story.
Kabul visit
ONE of the major reasons behind the recent spate of TTP violence is that besides having fighters
and facilitators within Pakistan, the terrorist group has a comfortable refuge in Taliban-ruled
Afghanistan. In fact, as per recent reports, the regime in Kabul is unwilling to end its support for
the TTP, with the banned group’s violent anti-Pakistan posture finding backers within the Afghan
public as well as the Taliban elite. Yet efforts are being made by Pakistan to change this situation;
a high-powered delegation visited Kabul on Wednesday to press home the point to the Taliban
leadership. The delegation, which included the defence minister and the ISI chief, has apparently
convinced the Taliban’s upper echelon to act against the banned TTP. Officials told this paper
that the Pakistani side communicated this desire in unambiguous terms. According to a Foreign
Office handout, both sides agreed to “effectively address the threat of terrorism”, including the
TTP and IS-K threat.
It is hoped that Afghanistan’s rulers deliver on their promises. The days ahead will prove whether
the visit to Kabul has borne fruit, specifically if TTP-led terrorist activities in Pakistan decrease.
There is, of course, good reason to be circumspect. After all, the Afghan Taliban and the TTP are
from the same ideological gene pool. Moreover, Taliban supreme leader Mullah Hibatullah
Akhundzada reportedly does not harbour positive views about Pakistan’s political system, even
though some of his deputies seek to maintain good relations with this country. It is the latter
group that must prevail and convince the Taliban leadership that continuing to provide the TTP
safe havens to attack Pakistan is not a good idea. Pakistan needs to keep up the pressure and
remind the Taliban of the commitments recently made in Kabul. The fact is that counterterrorism
efforts in Pakistan will have only limited impact if the TTP or other terrorists are able to freely
move back and forth between this country and Afghanistan.
February 2023
PTI’s foibles
IT already seems safe to say that Imran Khan has grossly overplayed his hand by moving forward
with the PTI’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’. Apart from some of the party’s most dedicated workers, it
appears that the majority of its support base is content with remaining on the sidelines.
Reports from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday suggested that the party was in complete
disarray on the day of the Peshawar ‘court arrest drive’. The venue was changed at the eleventh
hour, key leaders failed to show up, and there was also a comical stand-off between the citizenry
and the state, with neither the police appearing too keen on arresting the PTI supporters, nor Mr
Khan’s ‘tigers’ themselves very enthusiastic about spending time behind bars.
It appears that the disorder in the PTI’s ranks was due to confusion at the top, with senior leader
Pervez Khattak telling PTI’s provincial leadership that Mr Khan would give another call for arrests.
Even in Punjab, the PTI seems to have gotten cold feet. It filed a habeas corpus petition to retrieve
nine of its senior leaders who had been arrested just a day earlier, arguing that their lives were
in danger if they were to remain in police custody.
This is certainly not how mass arrest drives work. The idea is to overwhelm the system, not beat
a hasty retreat the moment the state flexes its muscles.
One cannot say this adventure has played out unexpectedly. Mr Khan appears to have a fairly
poor understanding of his support base and its relationship with his party.
He repeatedly fails to account for the fact that there is a complete lack of organisation in the PTI
at the grassroots level. He cannot expect ordinary people to place blind faith in him and proceed
to jail, especially when there is no support network to watch out for them and protect them
during the period of their incarceration.
It is folly for Mr Khan to believe that he can mobilise ordinary supporters the same way that the
Jamaat-i-Islami can, or earlier iterations of the MQM could. The PTI and Mr Khan have risen to
the top of Pakistani politics not on the back of an organised populist movement, but due to
ordinary voters’ disillusionment with the politics of some of our more ‘experienced’ leaders and
their parties.
Therefore, while Mr Khan’s personal charisma may pull a significant number of votes at the ballot
box, it is never going to prove enough to persuade ordinary citizens to dedicate their time and
resources to a movement like the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’.
Till the party undertakes any meaningful restructuring, its lack of mobilisation power will remain
its Achilles heel when it comes to launching movements that pit ordinary people against the
might of the state.
February 2023
Toshakhana details
THE government’s decision to declassify and make public the record of the Toshakhana gifts and
their buyers is a welcome change of heart on its part. Only a few weeks ago, the government had
told the Lahore High Court that such disclosure could potentially damage the national interest in
the conduct of foreign relations, and embarrass the dignitaries who had given those gifts. On
Thursday, a federal law officer assured the court hearing a petition, which sought the record of
all Toshakhana gifts received or retained by politicians and bureaucrats since independence, that
the government was declassifying the details of gifts received since 2002 and would soon put
them online for public access. Nonetheless, he said, the names of the foreign dignitaries who
gave those gifts would not be revealed. The court was also informed that the government had
decided to introduce legislation to make the transactions and the record of Toshakhana gifts
transparent. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had told a press conference earlier this
week that he had decided that politicians and bureaucrats would not be allowed to retain gifts
worth more than $300 (Rs80,000 at the current exchange rate).
With the government building a public case of corruption and misuse of power against former
prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse for allegedly taking expensive gifts from the repository
at a price below the market rate, it is only fair that the record of all previous Toshakhana gifts is
also disclosed to the people for the sake of fairness and transparency. The ruling coalition’s initial
reluctance did not help its public image. As the government works on a law, it should not forget
the gifts received and retained by military officers and judges, too, from foreign dignitaries. They
should surrender the gifts they receive to the Toshakhana and the rules that the politicians and
bureaucracy are subjected to must also apply to them. There can’t be exceptions in a democracy.
Balochistan’s misery
WHILE the violation of fundamental rights is a nationwide phenomenon, the situation in
Balochistan is particularly acute. In this neglected corner of the country, dead bodies are
discovered in unexplained circumstances, mass graves have been found, while various strands of
violence affect the people.
Of late, there have been questions about the existence of private jails in the province. It had
recently been reported that three bodies recovered from a well in Barkhan were those of Khan
Muhammad Marri’s wife and two children. However, Mr Marri’s wife and some of his children
were later recovered alive, as were his other offspring who were apparently illegally confined by
provincial minister Abdul Rehman Khetran. Mr Marri was his bodyguard.
Though the minister is in custody and the provincial administration is probing the affair,
unanswered questions remain about the identity of one of the bodies found in the well.
February 2023
According to a post-mortem report, one of the bodies is that of a teenage girl who was raped,
tortured and shot. Her face was unrecognisable.
Two male bodies recovered from the same well turned out to be those of Mr Marri’s sons. The
provincial administration must establish their identification, and track down those responsible
for this horrific crime.
It is clear that in many parts of Balochistan, the writ of the state is absent, and the word of feudal
sardars and ‘influentials’ is the law. This is one of the main reasons that outrages are so often
reported from the province.
Though the establishment talks of multibillion-rupee projects such as CPEC and other schemes
as ‘game changers’ for Balochistan, the ordinary people face a far grimmer reality. In the past,
they have faced intense sectarian violence, while separatists have also indulged in the massacre
of innocents.
The establishment maintains a huge security footprint in Balochistan yet life for its people has
not improved. Instead, those suspected of being involved in anti-state activities go ‘missing’; not
all are lucky to return home alive.
Quite clearly, the supposed fruits of development have yet to reach the people, fuelling a sense
of alienation. The people of Balochistan have witnessed enough brutality and neglect.
The state must treat them as owners of their land, masters of their destiny, and equal citizens of
Pakistan protected by the Constitution. If the violence continues, it will have a detrimental effect
on national unity.
Under pressure
THE instability that has wreaked havoc on the legislature and executive for the greater part of
the past year now threatens to consume the judiciary as well. One of the ugliest political feuds
of our modern history has seen the Constitution twisted and manipulated by both government
and opposition to suit their competing claims on power.
Now, within a year after passing two momentous judgements — one that overturned the PTI
deputy speaker’s ruling on the vote of no-confidence, and another that seemingly ‘rewrote’
Article 63-A of the Constitution — the Supreme Court is once again the centre of attention over
its suo motu proceedings on the question of whether elections for dissolved assemblies can be
put off for more than 90 days.
February 2023
However, many believe it is time for the Supreme Court to look farther beyond. The court is being
asked to set matters straight by reviewing its past judgements that have paved the path to the
current political crisis. These include the Panamagate ruling, the disqualification of lawmakers
like PTI’s Jahangir Tareen on weak pretexts, and so on.
The demands come as patience on both sides of the political divide has run out. The PTI has
threatened to trigger social upheaval if the question of elections is not resolved, while the PML-
N is publicly attacking the integrity of sitting judges and accusing them of prejudice. Recently
leaked audios allegedly involving one of the sitting Supreme Court justices are being used by
various public figures to impeach the apex court’s integrity in the court of public opinion. It is in
this context that the composition of the nine-member bench of the apex court-appointed to hear
the suo motu case has been challenged by the PDM and the Pakistan Bar Council.
There is weight to the question of why certain senior judges — including the senior puisne judge
— have been excluded from a bench which is deciding on a matter of such grave national import.
There is also the question of judicial propriety: should a judge allegedly involved in a political
scandal be sitting on the bench? These are questions that the chief justice must address with
great urgency. He must also contemplate why several key stakeholders are so unhappy with the
judiciary, and what he may do within his powers to put to rest their concerns.
There is a very real danger that the judiciary may continue to be dragged deeper into controversy,
given the stakes for the political parties. At the same time, this could be an opportunity for the
judiciary to extricate itself from the many crises that have been plaguing the country. A judicial
debate, involving the full court, over the major judgements passed in the past five years may
open the doors for some reconciliation and closure.
Cricket quarrel
THE dispute between the caretaker Punjab government and the Pakistan Cricket Board over who
should foot the security bill for the T20 league matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi may deprive
cricket enthusiasts in the province of the entertainment that the Pakistan Super League has to
offer. The PCB has already threatened to move all scheduled matches to Karachi unless the
government withdraws its demand of Rs450m from the board for making security arrangements
for the matches. Punjab’s Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has rightly stated that his caretaker set-
up in the province does not have the authority to undertake such a huge expense. The cabinet
too has voted against spending such a big amount from taxpayers’ money to provide security
cover for what is a commercial franchised league. The PCB, on the other hand, says it was the
government’s duty to make security arrangements, whatever the cost. It also fears that if it
makes the payment for the cost of the security as demanded by the provincial government it
would set a precedent and Sindh may also demand the same for the matches in Karachi. Also, it
says there’s no guarantee that the Punjab government would not come up with similar demands
February 2023
during future international bilateral series. Hence, the stand-off between the two sides, despite
back-and-forth discussions and meetings during the last two days.
One is constrained to see that it is the government’s argument that stands out, especially at a
time when the federation and provinces are required to save every penny they can to meet fiscal
targets for securing the IMF loan deal. During the last fiscal year, the provincial government had
spent Rs2.2bn on security arrangements for PSL and other international bilateral series. Around
a quarter of that amount was spent on the league alone. That is a huge cost, much of which was
expended on the arrangement of security lights, towers and wires, generators and fuel,
transportation of security personnel, etc. The PSL being a commercial league, with PCB earning
substantial profits from it, it is only fair that the latter picks up the security bill, instead of putting
pressure on the government by threatening to shift the matches to Karachi. The league is built
upon the core concept of ‘home and away’ and the PCB cannot deprive Pakistan’s cricket buffs
of the ‘home cities’ of the teams of ‘cricketainment’.
Ukraine anniversary
A YEAR after the Russian military rumbled into Ukraine, the conflict is locked in a stalemate, with
neither side willing to back down, and the threat of escalation ever-present. In effect the war has
pitted Russia against the Nato-EU combine, the latter framing the conflict as a battle of
democracy versus fascism. Things are a little more complex than that. While the invasion —
dubbed a special military operation by Moscow — is patently unjustifiable, Russia and the West
had been baiting each other for years, and Ukraine was the spark that brought hostilities into the
open. Both sides have contributed to the crisis; Russia by invading a sovereign state, and the US-
led West by expanding Nato virtually up to the Russian frontier, fuelling Moscow’s fears that it
was being encircled.
At present, there appear next to no signs that both sides are willing to compromise, and seem
determined to fight this war to the finish. Commenting on German tanks reaching Ukraine via
Poland, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow was ready to take the battle
“to the borders of Poland”. At the other end, America’s top diplomat Antony Blinken dismissed
China’s plan for a ceasefire in the UN, saying it will give Russia a chance to consolidate its position.
In previous remarks, Russian President Vladimir Putin has summoned the ghosts of World War II,
recalling that German tanks were once again headed east — a chilling allusion to the brutal Battle
of Stalingrad. Certainly, if both sides continue on the current trajectory, a conflict of global
proportions cannot be ruled out. However, apart from the direct combatants — Russia and the
West — there is little appetite for getting dragged into the war. At the recent UN General
Assembly meeting to discuss the war, 32 states, including Pakistan, abstained on a resolution
censuring Russia. Logic demands the war be wound up, but as the history of international
relations shows, rational actors can behave entirely irrationally.
February 2023
Safer Basant
THE season of spring is here — and with it, the usual crackdown on those attempting to celebrate
it. For years now, the authorities in Punjab have cited safety concerns as the reason behind their
ban on Basant, the traditional festival that paints the skies with radiant colours, as thousands
take part in kite-flying competitions. No doubt there is some truth to their apprehensions. The
use of glass-coated or metal strings, rooftops without guardrails and celebratory firing have all
taken their toll on lives. This year has been no exception. On Friday, at least three people died in
Basant-related incidents in Rawalpindi while many were injured. Meanwhile, police claimed they
had rounded up more than 300 people violating the ban. Should safety concerns, then, trump
the joy the season has brought to millions?
It is unfortunate that those in charge often adopt the quickest route to solving a challenge. For
instance, instead of introducing arbitrary rules to curb kite-flying, there could have been a
genuine attempt at making it safer. There are ways of doing that, as we have said previously in
this space. Cotton strings can be attached by ensuring that kite manufacturers do not use
hazardous material that could injure people, especially motorcyclists. Large public places can be
designated for kite-flying and rules enforced to secure rooftops. Such steps, and more public
awareness, could make Basant a lively celebration once again, without endangering life and limb.
However, are we up to the challenge of shunning the easy way out and lifting the ban? Of
understanding that stifling excitement and joy will only cause more frustration in a people that
have very few happy occasions to celebrate as a nation? Moreover, there is a large obscurantist
segment that views Basant as a ‘Hindu’ festival. Reintroducing Basant, with some safety
measures, would send a strong message that the state supports citizens’ right to enjoy
themselves and will not allow regressive thinking to prevail.
Guantánamo returnees
IT is a bittersweet homecoming for the Rabbani brothers, Mohammed and Abdul Rahim. The two
are finally back in Pakistan, but after spending nearly two decades in Guantánamo Bay, the
notorious American gulag in Cuba that entered the global lexicon during the ‘war on terror’.
The brothers, accused of aiding Al Qaeda, have never been charged, in effect rendering their
lengthy confinement illegal. Both were picked up from Karachi in 2002 and were taken to a CIA
facility in Afghanistan before being shipped off to Guantánamo.
They claim they were tortured by the Americans. The release of the Rabbanis follows Saifullah
Paracha’s repatriation to Pakistan last year; Mr Paracha, a septuagenarian, also languished in
detention for nearly two decades without charge.
The release of these men brings into focus a particularly dark chapter of the ‘war on terror’: the
use of gulags and black sites to circumvent legal systems and prevent the accused from defending
themselves through due process.
February 2023
The fact is that Guantánamo and other notorious facilities are a stain on the reputation of the US
and other states that claim to respect fundamental rights — a stain that will not wash away easily.
They reflect a contempt for legal norms and due process, indicating one law for ‘us’, and another
for ‘them’.
The individuals held in Guantánamo were accused of aiding and abetting terrorism, yet Western
legal systems — otherwise quite effective — seemed inadequate to prosecute these men in
regular courts of law, where their fundamental rights would be guaranteed. What is more, the
use of torture, freely employed by law enforcers in societies such as Pakistan, exposed the claims
of those states that swear to uphold the ‘rules-based order’.
The fact is that during the ‘war on terror’ there were no rules, and the rights of dozens of men
were violated as they spent large, productive parts of their lives incarcerated without charge and
without conviction.
Moreover, these policies did little to combat terrorism, as the eventual rise of the militant Islamic
State group proved. Terrorism cannot be countered by breaking the law and trampling on human
rights. Many moons ago, Barack Obama promised that he would shut down Guantánamo.
Two other men have occupied the White House since, yet the promise remains unfulfilled. The
current US administration should close down this gulag and compensate those held for decades
without charge.
An unconscionable death toll

DYING in the process of giving birth is a particularly poignant tragedy. And yet that is how a
shockingly high number of women across the globe will continue to lose their lives unless
governments recognise the monumental injustice of a situation where most of these deaths can
be prevented by ensuring easily available medical interventions. According to Trends in Maternal
Mortality, a report by several UN agencies released recently, a woman dies during pregnancy or
childbirth every two minutes. That came to over 280,000 fatalities in 2020, a toll aptly described
by the UNFPA executive director as “unconscionable”. Alarmingly, the maternal mortality ratio
has either stagnated or increased in most parts of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for
70pc of the fatalities, 82,000 of them in Nigeria alone. The report says that roughly a third of
women across the world do not undergo even four of the eight recommended antenatal
checkups or receive essential postnatal care; around 270m women lack access to modern family
planning methods.
While South Asia is one of two regions where the MMR has shown a significant decline over the
years, including in Pakistan, the country’s MMR remains unacceptably high at 154 in 2020, when
9,800 women died during pregnancy or childbirth. MMR in the same year for India was 103; in
February 2023
Bangladesh, it was 123. Pakistan’s MMR also provides a window into the inequity in human
development indicators across the country. As per the Pakistan Maternal Mortality Survey, the
MMR for Punjab is 157, while for Balochistan it is 298. There is likewise considerable disparity of
around 25pc between rural and urban MMR with the latter registering a lower figure. These
statistics also have a symbiotic link with gender inequality in Pakistan’s patriarchal culture where
many women do not have agency over decisions about their reproductive health, including how
many children to have and spacing between births. According to the Pakistan Demographic
Health Survey 2018-19, only 10pc women can take decisions about their health in Pakistan.
Couple that with inadequate antenatal care and lack of awareness, and it all adds to the risks
incurred by pregnant women as well as the underweight babies they often bear.
Last year’s devastating floods and the prevailing economic crisis have pushed millions more into
poverty and made the achievement of SDGs on reducing maternal and infant mortality even more
unlikely. The already poor nutritional status of Pakistani women — especially in the rural areas
— is sure to worsen, thereby contributing to an even higher prevalence of anaemia among them.
This is a critical concern in a country where 41pc of maternal deaths are due to excessive blood
loss during childbirth. Special interventions are needed if Pakistan’s modest gains in MMR are
not to be reversed.
Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2023.
Boat tragedy
THE woeful plight of refugees forced to flee from violence, persecution and hunger at home has
been one of the gravest tragedies of our times. Like cattle, men, women and children are herded
through hostile lands by murderous gangs; facing starvation, torture, sexual exploitation, and
even death in their desperate quest for a new life in countries they have been told are ‘safe’.
Even the sea is not forgiving: in too many instances, the rickety boats used by human smugglers
have capsized due to overloading or bad weather, drowning scores of innocents in one go. It is
still difficult to shake off the image of Alan Kurdi — the two-year-old Syrian child who drowned
in the Mediterranean as his family fled the brutality of the militant Islamic State group — lying
lifeless, face down on a Turkish beach. Alan’s death had shaken the global conscience, yet, eight
years later, nothing has changed. Early on Sunday, five dozen desperate souls — at least 28 of
them Pakistanis — met the same gruesome end off the coast of Italy when the wooden boat
carrying them collided against rocks and sank.
It is difficult not to find fault with how unwelcoming European countries have been towards
people fleeing countries made unsafe by the policies of their governments. It is indeed necessary
to crack down on human smuggling gangs, who continue to prey on refugees’ desperation, but
equally important for Western nations to reflect on why so many countries continue to be
wracked by such turmoil that people feel they have no option but to flee, and what role they
have played in precipitating those conditions. One is reminded of the opening verses of that
moving poem by Warsan Shire, Home: “no one leaves home unless/ home is the mouth of a
February 2023
shark/ you only run for the border/ when you see the whole city running as well”. It is time the
world starts seeing refugees as humans, not problems.
Wind power
STARTING in the next few days, the increase in the evacuation of wind power from 36 projects in
Jhimpir and Gharo in Sindh, after nearly four months, should help somewhat reduce the overall
average generation cost next month. Nonetheless, transmission constraints in evacuating
electricity from the southern region — Sindh and Balochistan — to the northern areas — Punjab
and beyond — mean that the wind power projects will still not be able to despatch more than
75pc of their installed capacity of 1,835 MW to the national grid in the immediate term. The share
of wind power in national despatches has thus remained nominal since November, because the
transmission lines that evacuate electricity from these projects are currently ‘choked’ thanks to
the preference given to coal and nuclear power due to their lower tariff rates. This is so despite
the stipulation in the Policy for Development of Renewable Energy for Power Generation, 2006,
that the sole state-backed buyer of electricity would evacuate the entire production of wind-
power projects. Consequently, the share of wind power in the national energy mix in December
was recorded by Nepra at 2.5pc, against its share of 4.5pc in the installed generation capacity.
Pakistan has tremendous potential to generate solar and wind power, according to a World Bank
study. For example, the utilisation of just 0.071pc of the country’s area for solar power generation
would meet our current electricity demand. Likewise, wind is also an abundant resource. Pakistan
has several well-known wind corridors. Yet the share of solar and wind power in its energy mix
remains far below potential, in spite of the multiple benefits the economy could accrue. Instead,
lower-than-required investment in renewable wind and solar power, due to policy
inconsistencies and policymakers’ bias towards fossil fuels, means that the incremental energy
demand in the last two decades has mostly been met with expensive imports. No wonder the
share of imported fuels in the energy mix has swelled from 29pc in 2006 to 49pc in 2021, making
electricity unaffordable for residential and industrial consumers, and leading to the accumulation
of an unsustainable, massive power sector debt of close to Rs3tr. The elimination of imported
fuels from the national energy mix is not possible immediately. But investment in solar, wind and
other renewable energy sources can help us achieve energy security and make power affordable
for consumers.
February 2023
Fresh questions
IN a reflection of the present tumultuous times, on Monday, a five-member Supreme Court
bench resumed hearing suo motu proceedings to address the constitutional questions arising out
of the dissolution of the KP and Punjab assemblies, and the requirement of holding elections
within 90 days after the dissolution. The earlier nine-member bench had to be reconstituted after
four judges dissociated themselves from the proceedings.
The chief justice of Pakistan had last week initiated the hearings following a deadlock between
institutions in the currently toxic political atmosphere. The cold exchange between the president
and the ECP had particularly exacerbated the situation, leading to the former announcing the
polling dates for both legislatures. Hence the CJP’s move to address the “lack of clarity on a
matter of high constitutional importance”.
But things on the judicial front have not been smooth either, with the PDM and the Pakistan Bar
Council questioning the composition of the nine-member bench hearing the suo motu
proceedings and the government calling for the full court to hear the matter, minus the two
judges the government parties said should not be hearing cases related to them.
Moreover, four of the judges on the bench had raised objections on various grounds through
their additional notes regarding the composition of the bench. So, instead of the concerns of
various stakeholders being allayed, the latest development is likely to complicate matters even
more.
It is obvious that the highest court of the land must be kept above the fray and should not allow
itself to be dragged into political feuds. One possible way of dealing with the current impasse and
maintaining the Supreme Court’s dignity is for the full court to hear this key constitutional case
(though perhaps without the inclusion of those whose actions might have been perceived as
controversial).
This view is strengthened by some of the SC judges themselves, who have endorsed the need for
a full court to hear a case of such crucial import. Moreover, one of the justices on the
reconstituted bench had raised questions about a brother judge’s presence on the earlier bench,
terming it “inappropriate”.
If this route is not possible, then the other option before their lordships could be to do away with
suo motu proceedings in this case. After all, one of the judges has commented in his additional
note that, with regard to the case in question, “suo motu action is not justified”.
Regardless of the outcome, constitutional requirements must be followed and not held in
abeyance. If the KP and Punjab caretaker administrations feel it is unfeasible to hold polls within
the 90-day deadline, then, as this paper has argued earlier, the government should consider
calling early general elections so that a path out of this constitutional deadlock can be found.

Monthly DAWN Editorials February 2023

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Monthly DAWN Editorials February 2023

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M O N T H L Y I S S U E

+92 333 6042057

Compiled & Edited By info@thecsspoint.com

All articles mentioned in this booklet are taken from dawn.com, we

The CSS Point, Pakistan’s The Best

Final IMF deal? ......................................................................................................................................... 34

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023

Disqualifying Jam Awais

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023

Women police officers

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023

Delay in the offing?

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023

Firstly, describing the Taliban — Afghan or Pakistani — as representatives of Pakhtun culture is

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2023.

IMF’s firm stance

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2023

The Musharraf enigma

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2023

No pardon for rape

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2023

The people’s demands

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2023

Another 51-member team was dispatched to Istanbul on Tuesday, comprising doctors,

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2023

“The criminalisation of defamation, protection of individual reputations through arrest and

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2023

Final IMF deal?

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2023

Women’s World Cup

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2023

Ruffling political feathers

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023

Poor tax collection

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2023

Gas price increase

Whatever half-hearted ‘reforms’ successive governments initiated were implemented under

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2023