Category: PAKISTAN

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Islamabad struggles to contain health crises

A health worker fumigates an area to remove mosquitoes on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Sindh province, Pakistan, on Sept. 21, 2022. (Str/Xinhua/IANS)

Medical researchers say that the lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure remains one of Pakistan’s biggest challenges, pointing to political instability as a major reason, writes Dr Sakariya Kareem

Pakistan has witnessed the outbreak of several fatal diseases in the recent past even as the government struggles to prevent and contain the infections, manifesting deteriorating healthcare infrastructure and services. While Pakistan remains among the very few countries to host poliovirus, several other diseases are still rampant, killing people across the country.

As the monsoon season kicked in, several vector-born and water-borne diseases have grappled Pakistan. People have tested positive for dengue in all major cities including Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In Lahore alone, the larvae that cause dengue were found at over 1,300 locations. This forced the government to issue a high alert.   Similarly, malaria is quite common in Pakistan and it has affected all age groups, according to the Pakistan Journal of Medical & Health Sciences.

Patients infected with dengue fever are treated inside mosquito nets at a hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan. (Photo by Saeed Ahmad/Xinhua/IANS)

Travel advisories caution those who travel to Pakistan about the high risk of getting malaria. After the unprecedented floods of 2022, Pakistan saw a manifold increase in the number of malaria patients in the country. Now, Zika virus has been found in Pakistan for the first time.  “During our study, we confirmed the presence of the Zika virus in Pakistan, which had not been previously detected,” said Dr Najeeha Talat Iqbal, principal investigator of the United World Antiviral Research Network.

Pakistan has become more vulnerable to dengue, malaria and other diseases following the 2022 floods. “Both malaria and dengue are endemic in Pakistan, but these latest outbreaks are unprecedented and threaten to overwhelm the country’s already fragile and damaged infrastructure,” reads a study published in the Lancet. Some parts of Pakistan have reported rising cases of cholera and typhoid as well.

Children in Pakistan remain most vulnerable to infectious diseases. At least 258 children were killed in just one month in the prosperous and politically dominant Punjab province due to pneumonia earlier this year. Another prominent province of Sindh reported 181,000 cases of diarrhoea and dysentery, affecting a significant amount of children.  UNICEF has already expressed concerns over the fatal threats the children are facing in Pakistan, and thus appealing for international support.

Rescuers evacuate flood-affected people in Jamshoro district, Sindh province, Pakistan.. (Str/Xinhua/IANS)

Pakistan was among the worst-hit countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. A group of researchers from Pakistan expressed concerns over the debilitated condition of the country’s healthcare system and rising cases of various diseases, particularly, dengue. “Dengue fever has become more dangerous as a result of the precarious situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Pakistan’s healthcare system is in disarray,” they wrote in a journal.

Now, a few epidemics have ensued in Pakistan, the patients are struggling to access proper treatment. “Most patients face difficulties due to the lack of proper testing and laboratory facilities in government and private hospitals in the district,” said a patient named Mubarak Baloch. A report by the UK government has highlighted the problems with Pakistan’s healthcare system.World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for an immediate revision of the country’s health system thanks to the health crisis going out of control.        

Pakistani political leaders and bureaucrats are blamed for failing to control dengue spread. The negligence in taking preventive measures, facilitating diagnostic tests and ensuring medicine is highlighted. Pakistan has become vulnerable to major public health threats, revealed a research paper by a group of medical practitioners in Pakistan. “Almost one-third of Pakistan’s population is suffering from life-threatening infections, including cholera, malaria, typhoid, etc. Although the government of Pakistan has initiated plans to tackle the problem, there is still a need for improvement,” they wrote.

Pakistan ranks 154th among the 195 nations, according to the Lancet study, as its spending on health remains very low. Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has sought comprehensive reforms from the government to curb the spread of these deadly diseases. “Focus on enhancing primary healthcare services at the grassroots level, particularly in rural areas. This can be achieved by increasing the number of primary healthcare centres, improving the training of staff and ensuring the availability of essential drugs and equipment,” PMA said in its latest report,

The lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure remains one of Pakistan’s biggest challenges, said a group of Pakistani medical researchers, who pointed to political instability as a major reason. “The system is plagued with numerous flaws, ranging from inadequate infrastructure to inequitable distribution of healthcare facilities. The political unrest in Pakistan has played a huge role as the rapid change in management and leadership interrupts the continuity of policies. Improving the health sector must be a priority regardless of government or regime changes,” reads their research paper.

ALSO READ: Brutal Honour Killings Blight Pakistan

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Asia News PAKISTAN Politics

Clash of hybrids leaves Pakistan in tatters

The PMLN government’s decision to ban Pakistan’s most popular party and charge PTI leaders with sedition has sparked fears of a political clash and potential martial law. Amid economic crisis and security challenges, Pakistan risks severe instability and unrest, writes Dr Sakariya Kareem

The decision of the PMLN government led by Shehbaz Sharif to ban the most popular political party in Pakistan and initiate sedition proceedings against PTI leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former President Arif Alvi has put the country on a disastrous path to a clash between two hybrid political dispensations.

The Pakistan Army, the creator of both hybrid formations, will likely be caught between the two stools, putting the army chief, General Asim Munir, on a more difficult wicket.

General Asim Munir with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

The army had created the hybrid regime led by Imran Khan during General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure. When Bajwa fell out with Khan, the artificial edifice collapsed, ironically propelling the former cricket star as a popular political leader among the disgruntled masses, mostly young voters. The country’s fortunes, however, plummeted. When the army got a new chief Asim Munir, there was a deep divide in the military leadership and Munir had several bones to pick with Imran Khan. Munir was keen on punishing Khan and propping up a new hybrid regime with Shehbaz Sharif as the Prime Minister.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa

The move is now unravelling with Imran Khan gaining popular support as the Shehbaz Sharif government, doing the bidding of General Asim Munir, is mounting uncalled-for persecution of the former Prime Minister. The recent Supreme Court ruling in favour of Khan’s party, PTI, has further rattled the army-backed government. The apex court had given PTI the due share of reserved seats in the National Assembly besides recognising it as a parliamentary party. The PTI thus has emerged as the single largest party in the Lower House, reducing the Shehbaz Sharif government’s two-thirds majority in both the Houses. The court’s decision indirectly indicts the government’s desperate efforts to suppress the PTI and its leader. A lower court had earlier given a clean chit to Imran Khan and his wife in the marriage case, undermining the deep state’s concerted attempts to dismember Khan’s party and career.

The move to ban PTI has the nod of PMLN supremo, Nawaz Sharif. This shows a political leader who was once labelled the `Lion of Punjab` has turned into a `jackal` hemmed in by the Generals who do not trust him a bit. If the government goes ahead with this suicidal mission, it will signal the end of PMLN and deepen the divide among the senior and middle-rung leadership of the army. The army is already cut by divisions over PTI and Imran Khan.

Former PM Imran Khan shaked hands with then Lt. Gen. Munir

Many commentators suspect that the move was a strategic ploy to pave the way for martial law. The Generals were uncertain about Shehbaz Sharif’s ability to stabilize the country amidst its severe turmoil. If the situation deteriorates further, Pakistan could face a disaster akin to the 1971 crisis when the country split into two. Alongside political instability, Pakistan is experiencing one of its worst economic crises, leading to widespread poverty and unrest. Security challenges are intensifying across the east, centre, and west, presenting formidable difficulties that won’t be easily resolved. Banning the PTI and imprisoning Imran Khan for an extended period could provoke public unrest, which the Generals might struggle to contain. In this power struggle between hybrid regimes, both the country and the military risk losing whatever remaining prestige and stability they have.

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Brutal Honour Killings Blight Pakistan

Afghanistan-Child marriage

The Human Rights Watch has identified various triggers for honour-related crimes, including violations of social norms and accepted behaviors. A woman’s choice of clothing, employment, or education; refusal to accept an arranged marriage; getting married without family consent; seeking a divorce; being raped or sexually assaulted; or even alleged intimate relations outside marriage are seen as valid reasons for honour killings … writes Dr Sakariya Kareem

Thousands of women and young girls are brutally hacked to death, or shot in a gruesome manner in the name of honour with the state watching like a mute spectator despite stringent laws against such heinous crimes.

In a gruesome incident earlier this month, a mother and her three daughters were found shot and hacked to death in their home in Swat, a suspected case of ‘honour’ killing. This tragic event has once again highlighted the persistent issue of honour killings in Pakistan, a practice that continues to claim thousands of lives annually with little effective intervention from the state or civil society.

Despite the horror of such crimes, they often fail to elicit strong reactions. Newspapers report the stories for a day, civil society groups make token noises, but widespread protests and outraged articles remain conspicuously absent. The recent Swat incident is a stark reminder of this disturbing apathy.

Swat, known for its beautiful mountainous landscapes, has seen a spiraling number of honour killings, sexual assaults, and suicides since 2012. According to The Awakening, a civil rights group, 229 people have been killed in the name of honour in Swat over the past seven years, including 211 women and 18 men. Tabassum Adnan, founder of the women’s group Khuvindu Jirga, expressed deep concern over this rising trend, stating that perpetrators often show pride rather than remorse for their actions.

In Pakistan, suspects in honour killings are typically relatives of the victims, leading to fewer cases being registered and even fewer testimonies being recorded. This familial connection often allows the accused to escape punishment, perpetuating a cycle of violence. Low prosecution rates have only emboldened people to commit such crimes with impunity.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has noted that the passage of the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences in the Name or Pretext of Honour) Act 2016 has not significantly reduced the number of honour killings. These killings are driven by the belief that ‘honour’ resides in women’s bodies, a notion deeply ingrained in Pakistan’s patriarchal society. The HRCP estimates that over 1,000 women are killed each year in Pakistan in the name of honour, though many cases go unreported due to family and community pressure.

The Human Rights Watch has identified various triggers for honour-related crimes, including violations of social norms and accepted behaviors. A woman’s choice of clothing, employment, or education; refusal to accept an arranged marriage; getting married without family consent; seeking a divorce; being raped or sexually assaulted; or even alleged intimate relations outside marriage are seen as valid reasons for honour killings.

A particularly shocking case from 2011 involved a video of five young women and a teenage boy clapping, singing, and dancing. Although the video did not show the women and the boy together, it sparked a major controversy. All five women and the two boys were subsequently killed by their families. When a relative campaigned for justice, his house was firebombed, and he was killed in 2019.

Efforts to outlaw honour killings in Pakistan began nearly two decades ago. In 2004, the National Assembly passed the Honour Killing Act, criminalizing such murders. However, a loophole allowed family members to forgive the convict through an Islamic legal practice known as Diya. This practice is especially troubling in honour killings, where family members often commit the murder.

Following the high-profile murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch in 2016, the National Assembly enacted the Anti-Honour Killing law, which mandated life imprisonment for the convict even if forgiven by the victim’s relatives. However, the law allowing relatives to forgive the murderer remains in practice. Qandeel Baloch’s brother was acquitted under this law after his mother forgave him, with the judge ruling the case was not an honour killing.

This ruling, coupled with the fact that many honour killings go unreported, continues to leave women and men vulnerable to being killed in the name of protecting family honour. The persistent prevalence of honour killings in Pakistan underscores the urgent need for more stringent legal reforms and a societal shift to protect the fundamental rights and lives of all individuals.

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Pak Governor felicitates Shaandar Bukhari for his noble cause  

A token of kind words and appreciation, carries a long way, for any human being who does a selfless job taking care of human beings… reports Vinod Raghavan who interacted with a Samaritan Shaandar Ali Shah Bukhari who was felicitated by the Punjab Governor in Pakistan.

It’s very difficult to find someone, who thinks for the well being of others, but here’s a Samaritan, Shaandar Ali Shah Bukhari, hailing from Pakistan’s Attock district, who was born and broughtup  in the Sultanate of Oman, is a multi-faceted personality covered with layers of  humbleness, sincerity and a concern for humanity. He is always available for the needy, cutting across regions, boundaries and religion.

As his name Shaandar which means (uniqueness) he often rushes on getting a call with a request for any types of help viz. providing free wheel-chairs for the disables or ailing elders. To help the hapless prisoners released after their jail-term with air tickets, arranging fees for the weaker sections of the community or taking efforts for coffins of expats back home to Pakistan, is not a small job but a noble cause, which only a few people does whole-heartedly.

This noble cause he has inherited from his late father Syedzada Sakhawat Ali Shah Bukhari, who was a teacher and landed in Oman in the early 70s, and had seen Oman developing from a single school in the Muscat governorate to scores of schools and colleges in every nook and corner of the Sultanate, thanks to the great visionary late Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

As a token of appreciation, Shaandar Bukhari, a philantrophist was felicitated by the Governor of Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, with the prestigious “Outstanding Citizen Award’ for his social welfare services for the expats and Pakistani communities residing in the Sultanate of Oman. It has helped in enhancing the bilateral relations and has strengthened the social fabric of both the societies (Oman and Pakistani).

Pakistan Ambassador in the Sultanate of Oman, Imran Ali Choudhary, conveyed his best wishes and appreciated his efforts and described him as a Pride of Pakistan and assured him the support of Embassy for noble causes.

ALSO READ-US voices concern over Pakistan’s decision to ban PTI

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Sleazy campaign targets Pakistani judges

Pakistan Supreme Court.


Pakistan judges who spoke out against intelligence agencies’ interference in judiciary are now target of a sleazy campaign … writes Dr Sakariya Kareem

The judges of Islamabad High Court (IHC), who recently raised their voices against the interference of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies in judicial matters, are now the target of an immoral campaign where their integrity is being questioned.

Earlier this year, six senior IHC judges penned a letter to the Supreme Court chief justice accusing Pakistan’s influential spy agency of interfering in judicial matters and using “intimidatory” tactics such as secret surveillance and even abduction and torture of their family members.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, in a letter dated March 25, the six IHC judges urged the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), Pakistan’s judicial watchdog which consists of the country’s chief justice, and four other top judges – two each from the Supreme Court and High Courts- to look into the allegations against officials belonging to the Pakistani military’s premier intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif speaks in an interaction with foreign media in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo by Ahmad Kamal/Xinhua/IANS)

“We believe it is imperative to inquire into and determine whether there exists a continuing policy on part of the executive branch of the state, implemented by intelligence operatives who report to the executive branch, to intimidate judges, under threat of coercion or blackmail, to engineer judicial outcomes in politically consequential matters,” the letter read.

As per an opinion piece published in Pakistan’s leading English daily the Dawn earlier this week, the abuse started with trolling on social media, particularly of two of the six IHC judges who spoke out against the Pak spy agencies’ interference in judicial matters, detailing the harassment that they had allegedly experienced at the hands of the intelligence agencies.

Later, complaints were filed by some “obscure persons” against two of the six judges — Justice Babar Sattar and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri — in the Supreme Judicial Council on fabricated charges, according to the Dawn.

The opinion piece claimed that the move was meant to pressurise the two IHC judges who are hearing politically sensitive cases.

Besides, questions were also being raised about the law degree of Justice Jahangiri who is heading an election tribunal in Islamabad, as per reports.

Nothing could be more preposterous than such suspicions being levelled at a high court judge who has previously served as advocate general, while the timing makes the allegations more dubious, with the judge hearing appeals against the election of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNAs (Members of the National Assembly), and there seems to be no cessation of the harassment of judges by the establishment, according to the Dawn opinion piece.

Similarly, Justice Sattar, who has been hearing the audio leaks case, seems to have drawn the ire of the deep state for questioning the role of the country’s spy agencies in unauthorised phone tapping.

Justice Sattar, in a letter to the IHC chief justice some time ago, said that he was asked by a top security official not to pursue the charges, and before withdrawing its plea, the Intelligence Bureau had sought the judge’s recusal from the case.

While slapping a fine of Rs 500,000 each on the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Justice Sattar hinted at initiating contempt proceedings against the agencies.

Expectedly, the move triggered a malicious campaign against the judge not only on social media but also in a section of mainstream electronic media, which purportedly has strong links with the administration and security establishment. Some of those involved have also been served notices by the IHC, as reported by the Dawn.

The Pakistani cabinet earlier this week authorised the ISI to trace and intercept calls through any telecommunication system, reports the Dawn, adding that the decision will certainly have an impact on the audio leaks case.

Justice Malik Shehzad, who was recently elevated to the Supreme Court, is another judge targeted by the vicious campaign.

As chief justice of the Lahore High Court, Justice Shehzad had been quite vocal against the executive’s meddling in the judicial process, and he initiated contempt proceedings against state officials on a complaint filed by the presiding judge of an anti-terrorism court in Sargodha alleging harassment by the agencies, as reported by the Dawn.

According to the Dawn, someone from Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province filed a complaint against him, which was based on a car accident, which took place some two years ago, and that allegedly involved a family member of Justice Shehzad.

The Dawn reported that the Pakistani government is completely silent on the matter, and remarks by some cabinet ministers and PML-N officials give credence to suspicions of the government’s encouragement to the campaign by sections of the media.

Meanwhile, there seems to be no cessation of the harassment of judges by the establishment or the executive’s meddling in the judicial process, and the media trial of upright judges on concocted charges is the independent judiciary’s biggest challenge, as per the Dawn.

The sleazy campaign indicates the growing shadow of the security establishment over the system, and it also threatens whatever is left of the democratic process, it reported.

Besides warning that there would be an institutional response to the immoral campaign, a full bench of the Islamabad High Court has initiated contempt proceedings against the federal agencies.

The IHC chief justice has pointed out that it was the responsibility of Pemra, PTA, and FIA to stop such smear campaigns, with bar associations extending support to the targeted judges, according to reports.

The Dawn, in the editorial piece, has questioned the role of a section of the electronic media, which is being used to malign the judges who raised voice against the country’s powerful spy agencies and refused to bow to pressure, as well as the balant misuse of social media in spreading fake news.

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Pakistan moves to ban Imran Khan’s party

Pak govt said it has ample evidence to impose a ban on PTI and initiate legal proceedings against the party and its top leadership…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced on Monday that the Shehbaz Sharif government has decided to impose a ban on rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, coupled with a plan to file a treason case against its founder and the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Supreme Court.

Tarar, who addressed a press conference in Islamabad, stated that the government has ample evidence to impose a ban on PTI and initiate legal proceedings against the party and its top leadership.

“There have been recent efforts to create unrest in the country. A film trailer titled ‘Saat Khoon Maaf’ was also a cruel intention to label some individuals as being above the law,” he said.

“The government will also take action against several prominent figures, including former President Dr. Arif Alvi, PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri,” he added.

Tarar mentioned that treason cases under Article 6 of the constitution, which would include blockade of their CNIC (Computerized National Identity Card) and passports, will be lodged against the top PTI leaders.

“A parliamentary resolution would also be brought against them,” he said.

The minister criticised Imran Khan for being the “worst leader”, accusing him of establishing the precedent of imprisoning women and daughters while pointing at the arrests of Faryal Talpur, sister of current President Asif Ali Zardari, and Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab and daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif during the time when he was the country’s Prime Minister.

Experts reckon the ban on PTI as the proverbial last nail with the government and the military establishment vowing to put an end to Imran Khan’s political career and PTI’s existence.

“Imran Khan and his party has still not been forgiven for what they did on May 9 and 10 last year when military installations were attacked and vandalised by PTI supporters and leaders, which undoubtedly was a pre-planned and strategised attack,” said political analyst Adnan Shaukat.

“At the same time, it is also true that Imran Khan and his party are getting relief from the courts in legal cases because of the ongoing war between the judiciary and the military establishment. PTI is back in the parliament because of the Supreme Court order and may get more benefits from the ongoing fight between the judiciary and establishment. It is because of this that the government is being used by the military to diminish Imran Khan,” he added.

The ruling government is also planning to file a case on Imran Khan government’s decision to dissolve the assemblies during April 2022, through advice given by the PM house to then President Alvi.

The government maintains that the move, later quashed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, constitutes an attempt to abrogate or subvert the constitution, which comes under high treason.

Article 6 of the Constitution of Pakistan states that any person who abrogates or subverts or suspends or holds in abeyance, or attempts or conspires to abrogate or show or force or by any other unconstitutional means shall be guilty of high treason.

It further adds that any person aiding, or abetting (or collaborating) the acts mentioned shall not be validated by any court including the Supreme Court and High Court.

The procedure to refer to Article 6 would require the government to file a reference against Imran Khan, Dr. Arif Alvi and Qasim Suri in the Supreme Court and file treason cases against them while also initiating the same actions to impose a ban on PTI.

PTI says govt is daydreaming

In its official response, the Pak Tehreek e Insaaf said that the puppet government of Pakistan is daydreaming of banning the PTI.

“General Asim Munir and his puppet government’s mood is increasing after the process of returning the public mandate of Tehreek-e-Insaaf, which was given on February 8, after which they started daydreaming about banning Tehreek-e-Insaaf. General Asim Munir, take care and do not shake the foundations of Pakistan by playing with the constitution any more. No patriot can think of banning the largest and most popular party in Pakistan, doing so is tantamount to shaking the foundations of Pakistan and sending the country towards civil war. Learn from the Hamudur Rehman Commission report and stop playing with fire The nation will not bear the loss of the country to satisfy your ego,” the PTI said in a post on X.

PPP opposes govt’s move against PTI

The senior leadership of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have strongly opposed the federal government’s decision to ban Imran Khan-founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), ARY News reported on Monday.

PPP leader Raza Rabbani emphasized in a statement that prohibiting a political party is incompatible with democratic ideals and urged the federal government to refrain from taking such measures.

Rabbani emphasized that there is already a great deal of political and economic uncertainty in the nation. He warned that the government’s decision to outlaw PTI would have a detrimental effect on the federal government and exacerbate the current political unrest.

He recommended that the government confront the growing patterns of terrorism instead.

Senior PPP politician Farhatullah Babar echoed this opinion when he opposed the notion of outlawing political parties, according to ARY News.

He added that self-made crises cannot survive in Pakistani democracy.

Furthermore, PPP leader Nasir Shah stated that he personally does not support such actions and that the party chairman had opposed the prohibition, ARY News reported.

It is important to note that the government has decided to outlaw PTI, as announced by Ata Tarar, the federal minister of communication.

Speaking at a contentious press conference, Ata Tarar asserted that the federal government is authorized by Article 17 of the Constitution to prohibit a political party.

Citing the PTI’s involvement in foreign funding, the May 9 riots, its role in the resettlement of terrorists in Pakistan, the cypher episode, and the resolution passed in the US, he said there is credible evidence to warrant a ban on the party. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Pakistan’s Economic Policy Needs a Regional Shift

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Pakistan’s Economic Policy Needs a Regional Shift

This lack of active engagement in regional trade certainly contributes to Pakistan’s failure to capitalise it’s strategic location for diversifying its trading partners and strengthening its economy. Baring China, its trade relations with the other three bordering countries of Afghanistan, India and Iran are hardly any substantive…reports Asian Lite News

During the recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan’s geostrategic location as an “ideal conduit for connectivity” and emphasised its potential to further enhance economic interlinkages in the region.

While Pakistan’s position could indeed facilitate regional trade and potentially help revive its struggling economy, its historical preference for economic ties with the West over its neighbours, with the notable exception of China, has left it regionally isolated and overly dependent on American and Chinese benevolence.

Several factors have hindered Pakistan’s economic integration within the region. These include political and territorial disputes with neighbouring countries, both perceived and actual security concerns, a limited range of exportable products, and a reliance on the West for trade and aid. These elements are key contributors to Pakistan’s ongoing economic isolation.

As such, Pakistan’s regional economic isolation is underscored by its limited participation in active regional trading blocs. Although Islamabad is nominally a member of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) and the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), both groupings have remained largely non-operative since their inception and more so because of Islamabad’s actions.

This lack of active engagement in regional trade certainly contributes to Pakistan’s failure to capitalise it’s strategic location for diversifying its trading partners and strengthening its economy. Baring China, its trade relations with the other three bordering countries of Afghanistan, India and Iran are hardly any substantive.

Consider Iran, Pakistan’s western neighbour. Despite sharing over 900 km of border, bilateral economic cooperation between Islamabad and Tehran has been minimal.

As of 2022, Pakistan’s imports from Iran were just $848 million, while its exports to Iran were only $162 million. By the end of 2023, the total trade volume increased to $2 billion.

During his maiden visit to Pakistan in April, Iran’s Late President Ebrahim Raisi was prompted to highlight the dismal state of their bilateral economic cooperation, stating that the “economic and trade volume between Iran and Pakistan is not acceptable at all.”

He announced a commitment to increase the trade volume to $10 billion as a first step toward strengthening ties. However, the likelihood of this commitment translating into improved trade dynamics remains uncertain due to Islamabad’s susceptibility to the US pressure against engaging with Tehran, as part of Washington’s policy of isolating Iran.

It may be noted that the US quickly warned Islamabad against deepening its economic engagement with Tehran, threatening sanctions. As such, this alliance with the US has hindered Pakistan and Iran from enhancing their economic cooperation over the years.

It begets the assertion that if Islamabad had maintained its strategic autonomy, it could have leveraged Iran’s economic isolation to its advantage, acting as a frontline state similar to what the United Arab Emirates, especially its Dubai emirate, has done over the years.

Despite strained Tehran-Abu Dhabi dynamics, Dubai has played a crucial role in facilitating Iran’s economic outreach to the world, a role Pakistan could have easily assumed due to its geographic proximity to Iran.

Similarly, Pakistan, which supported the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021, has failed to establish sustainable bilateral trade cooperation with Afghanistan.

Contrary to expectations that a friendly regime in Kabul would enhance Pakistan’s internal security and allow it a greater economic role in the country, relations between Pakistan’s military-dominated establishment and the Afghan Taliban government have consistently deteriorated over the last two years, as Kabul has overlooked Islamabad dictations, especially with regards to the presence of Pakistan Taliban in Afghanistan.

This has not only exacerbated Pakistan’s security challenges but also restricted its influence over Afghanistan’s economic outreach to the world.

As such, Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral have continued to decline and failed to witness a turnaround even after the Taliban takeover.

Apparently, Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan have significantly dropped from $2.1 billion in 2012 to an estimated $969 million in 2023, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan were estimated to be around $440 million in 2023.

As with Iran, Pakistan’s economy would have benefited from maintaining cordial relations with the Taliban regime by serving as its gateway to the world. However, instead of leveraging the geo-economics through Iran and Afghanistan, Pakistan has isolated itself in the region due to its flawed policy outlook.

Pakistan’s economic cooperation with India is again abysmal. The two countries have not maintained full diplomatic relations since 2019, when Islamabad recalled its High Commissioner from New Delhi in response to India’s constitutional reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, an internal matter for India.

This diplomatic rift led to a significant decline in trade, from $2.5 billion in 2018-19 to just $0.6 billion by 2023. In 2023, Pakistan’s exports to India were estimated at a mere $20 million, while its imports from India stood at $627 million. Notably, India’s trade with Pakistan constitutes only 0.1 per cent of its total exports and 0.03 per cent of its total imports for that year.

With its economy in free fall, Pakistan has recently expressed a desire to re-establish trade relations with India. Pakistani officials, including Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, have made multiple public appeals in recent months. However, New Delhi has largely ignored these overtures.

For India, it has made it clear that terrorism and trade cannot coexist and unless Islamabad takes concrete steps to address New Delhi’s concerns there will be no resumption of trade relations.

On the other hand, despite its expressed desire to improve relations with India, Pakistan has failed to take meaningful steps to curb its support for terrorism in India. The recent instances of terrorist attacks in Jammu by Pakistan-based terrorist groups, clearly demonstrate a lack of genuine commitment on Pakistan’s part to foster cordial relations with India.

In contrast, consider Pakistan’s economic relations with the US. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics report for 2023, the US continues to be the topmost export destination for Pakistani goods.

Pakistan’s exports to the US were recorded at $5.1 billion, constituting 21.23 percentage share in the country’s total exports. Likewise, Pakistan imported goods worth over $2.1 billion during the same year, thereby totalling their total bilateral trade over $7.2 billion. This shows Islamabad’s continued preference for overseas trade partners over its immediate neighbours.

It appears that Pakistan is unwilling to shed its dependency on the West and diversify its economic relations, and more so on integrating itself in the regional geoeconomic mix.

Islamabad needs to understand that profound economic engagements with the regional countries are a prerequisite to not only overcome its regional trade isolation but also to forge a meaningful economic recovery.

This is a golden opportunity for Islamabad to leverage its geostrategic position more effectively so as to actively participate in regional trade initiatives to become indispensable to regional economic interlinkages.

Unless and until, Pakistan change its state policy towards its immediate neighbours, it will continue to be a dependent aid economy and will fail to make any meaningful economic recovery.

ALSO READ-Pakistan reverses flour export policy amid protests

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Pakistan reverses flour export policy amid protests

The local wheat price saw a dramatic decline during the caretaker government’s tenure, primarily due to imports by the private sector, including wheat flour millers…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan’s government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, revoked its March order on Friday, banning the export of flour made from imported wheat amid a nationwide strike by millers, Pakistan-based daily, Dawn reported.

The ban came after the farmers protested against wheat imports despite the high crop produce in the country, Dawn reported.

The Pakistan Ministry of Commerce issued two notifications that withdrew the March 29 order that allowed millers to export flour made from imported wheat. However, no data on the export of such flour was available on the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) website. Export of wheat and its byproducts from locally produced wheat is already banned, Dawn reported.

The local wheat price saw a dramatic decline during the caretaker government’s tenure, primarily due to imports by the private sector, including wheat flour millers.

Out of 65 total wheat importers, 17 were flour mills that also imported wheat. The government had previously formed a committee to investigate the issue, but it took two months to impose a ban on wheat imports, which was officially notified on Friday.

On Thursday, the All-Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) went on strike as a mark of protest on Thursday against the new withholding tax.

Flour dealers and owners of atta chakkis (small wheat grinding units joined the protest, causing disturbances in the supply flow of flour.

Chairperson of PFMA, Asim Raza said that the measure has made flour mills withholding agents for tax collection. He said the tax is expected to increase flour prices by Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 8 per kg.

Raza said that he would continue the strike until the demands are met and the strike would adversely affect the supply chain.

“The tax measure is unacceptable and impracticable as flour dealers are refusing to lift their consignments instead of sharing their tax details for withholding tax purposes,” he said. (ANI)

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Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi acquitted in unlawful marriage case

imran khan and wife bushra bibi.

The decision that was widely criticised by civil society, women activists and lawyers. The verdict had coincided with the Toshakhana and cipher case sentences…reports Asian Lite News

An Islamabad district and sessions court ordered on Saturday to release former Pakistan PM and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Iddat case, Dawn reported.

Additional district and sessions judge (ADSJ) Afzal Majoka announced the judgment a little after 3pm after reserving the verdict earlier in the day.

According to the Dawn, the judge said after accepting their appeals: “If they are not wanted in any other case, then PTI founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi should be released [from jail] immediately.”

The judge said the orders for the release of PTI founder and his spouse have been issued.

The PTI founder and Bushra were sentenced to seven years in prison and awarded a fine of Rs500,000 each, in February earlier this year after a trial court found their nikah to be fraudulent as Khawar Maneka, Bushra’s ex-husband, moved the court against the couple’s marriage.

The decision that was widely criticised by civil society, women activists and lawyers. The verdict had coincided with the Toshakhana and cipher case sentences.

The couple had then challenged their conviction and had even moved the IHC seeking varying relief from the court.

The verdict clears the last existing legal hurdle keeping Imran in jail as he has been acquitted by various courts in several other cases — including Toshakhana and cipher — filed against him since the events of May 9, 2023 — the day when his first arrest had caused riots across the country, following which the state had launched a crackdown against him and his party, the Dawn reported.

The couple was convicted in Iddat case on February 3 — days before the general elections — on a complaint filed by Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband, Khawar Fareed Maneka, who alleged that they contracted marriage during the former first lady’s Iddat period.

Following the verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, while speaking to the media, said that the purpose of the conviction was to force Imran to compromise but “Imran has stood steady as a rock”.

“I met Imran Khan and Bibi today as well in Adiala, and he was very happy about yesterday’s verdict,” Gohar said referring to the Supreme Court’s decision to rule the PTI eligible for reserved seats.

“The win today is the country’s win and is a win for the independent judiciary. The world has now seen that this was merely a case made for political victimisation”, it reported. (ANI)

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Crisis-Hit Pakistan Squanders Funds on Kashmir Event

A flood-affected woman prepares food in Jamshoro district in Pakistan's Sindh province on Sept. 8, 2022. (Str/Xinhua/IANS)

The Pakistani government has been spending a huge amount on observing the ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ – an event to condemn India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu & Kashmir state. It is observed on August 5thevery year … writes Sakariya Kareem

Pakistan’s economy is in a dire state and a majority of its population is suffering from worst-ever food inflation. Yet, Islamabad’s priority remains inciting enmity with neighbouring India. The Pakistani government has been spending a huge amount on observing the ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ – an event to condemn India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu & Kashmir state. It is observed on August 5thevery year.

Islamabad has not kept the observation of the ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’ event restricted to Pakistani cities but the embassies in different countries have been directed to mark the anniversary. South Africa, Afghanistan, New Zealand, Sweden, United States, China, Nepal, Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Korea, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, France, Japan, and Ghana are among the countries where Islamabad held the event.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif speaks in an interaction with foreign media in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 30, 2022. (Photo by Ahmad Kamal/Xinhua/IANS)

Pakistani embassies in different countries regularly hold the Youm-e-Istehsal event, which adds a burden on its public exchequer. Pakistan’s foreign ministry has always been blamed for making inordinate expenses. Recently, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had to enforce austerity measures amid growing criticism about exorbitant expenditure on foreign matters. ​ 

The Auditor General of Pakistan has expressed concerns over the excess expenditure incurred by the foreign missions in its 2022-23 and 2021-22 reports. “(Foreign) Ministry incurred an expenditure of PKR 11.550 million against the budget allocation of PKR 38,373, resultantly excess expenditure of PKR 11.512 million (29,998.32 percent in excess) was incurred in violation of rules,” it said. The audit reports slammed foreign missions for irregular payments and mishandling of funds when holding events abroad.

Pakistan’s 68 percent population cannot afford a healthy diet and half of their earning goes into buying food. This led the World Bank to demand urgent reforms to strengthen Pakistan’s food system. However, Islamabad appears apathetic as its priorities are placed on inciting enmity with India by fuelling the Kashmir issue.   

It seems a political compulsion for Pakistani leaders to keep the Kashmir controversy alive to keep the local population calm and distracted from seeking basic rights. “For Pakistan, Kashmir stands as its jugular vein. Altering its status poses challenges to Pakistan’s security and integrity,” admitted former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. 

Notably, the local people of Jammu & Kashmir have not ever held any such event to condemn the move to fully integrate the region with the rest of India. It has seen bloodshed for decades, which India claimed was supported by Pakistan. Now the revocation of special status has ensured the infrastructure and human development in Jammu & Kashmir occurred at a faster rate.

Leaders from different countries including the US and Russia have clarified that the Jammu & Kashmir issue is an internal matter of India. US Congressmen including Scott Perry said the Indian decision to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution led to the welfare of local people and economy. He said it allowed India to “address the stagnant economy and high youth unemployment plaguing the region by providing economic opportunity and sound governance.”

UK parliamentarian Bob Blackman was among the big voices that supported revocation of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. He said those who migrated out of Kashmir due to alleged Pakistan-sponsored militancy could return to their homes. “Kashmiri Pandits must be guaranteed right of return after they were the victims of ethnic cleansing and this move should prevent any other minority groups being forced to leave the Kashmir Valley,” he said.

While Islamabad raises the issue of the plight of Kashmiris in Jammu & Kashmir, the situation is very bad for those Kashmiris living in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. In Jammu & Kashmir, the unemployment rate is just 4 percent where as it is a staggering 14.4 percent in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. In Jammu & Kashmir, the per capita income is USD 950, which is almost five times that in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

When the people of Kashmir, experts, and global leaders welcomed the change in the status of Kashmir, Pakistan’s criticism seemed irrelevant and futile. Yet, Pakistan continues to spend a huge sum of money on the event of ‘Youm-e-Istehsal’. Pakistani leaders harped on resolving the alleged problems of Muslims living in Jammu & Kashmir when the average Muslim in Pakistan is struggling to earn daily bread and butter.

Pakistani journalist Imad Zafar said activities by Islamabad such as observing Youm-e-Istehsal or printing a map showing Indian areas inside Pakistan’s territory would not help Kashmiris. “Maps do not change realities, and a country only has control of those areas under its administration. Everything else is dreaming, perhaps for the consumption of respective audiences. In Islamabad’s case, it is the Kashmir dispute that justifies billions of dollars of investment on defense,” he said.