Afghan Migration
The International Organization for Migration has revealed that nearly 60,000 Afghans have been forced to leave Pakistan since the start of April. According to the U.N. agency, the surge has led to a sharp increase in needs on the ground. Kabul has urged for an extension to Islamabad’s deadline for the departure of undocumented migrants and Afghan Citizen Card holders.
Preferred Citizens
Amidst claims of having its hands tied by the IMF in offering any significant relief to Pakistani citizens, the government has offered a slew of incentives to expats, including tax remissions, educational quotas for their children in Pakistani universities; and special courts for the swift resolution of their cases. Significantly, all overseas Pakistanis will now automatically be considered tax ‘filers.’
Urging Calm
Following violence at various outlets of KFC, including the killing of an employee, Council of Islamic Ideology Chairman Raghib Naeemi has stressed on protecting people’s lives and property amidst calls for a boycott of products and companies allegedly providing support to Israel. The public’s ire has largely focused on KFC, despite the restaurant chain’s absence from the BDS boycott list.
Macroeconomic Win
Global credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings has upgraded Pakistan’s long-term foreign-currency issuer default rating to ‘B-’ from ‘CCC+’, citing improved fiscal consolidation, stabilizing external account, and stronger macroeconomic policy management. It has also upgraded the outlook to stable. This, effectively, restores Pakistan to its July 2022 level, when the country was last in the ‘B-‘ category.
Back to Zero
Incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed he did not authorize anyone to negotiate on his behalf with the military establishment, negating earlier claims of party leader Azam Swati. The announcement follows backlash from the party’s supporters online, highlighting the inconsistent nature of the PTI’s narrative, which waffles between appeasement and confrontation on a weekly basis.
No Fuel Relief
The federal government has decided to maintain fuel prices, increasing the levy imposed on consumers, despite a drastic drop in global prices. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has claimed the excess funds will be used for development projects in Baloch. The decision comes as a blow to the general public, which has yet to receive significant benefits from the government’s much-touted inflationary slowdown.
Worsening Crisis
The Sindh government has written to the Indus River System Authority demanding the closure of the Taunsa-Panjnad Link Canal, arguing that it is was designed for floods and not irrigation. The PPP-led provincial government has warned the canal risks worsening Sindh’s water crisis, noting the province is already facing 62% water shortage amidst prevailing drought conditions.
Dry Summer
The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s National Drought Monitoring Center has warned that drought conditions persist in south Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan amidst ongoing dry spells. The organization has urged the implementation of conservation measures to mitigate the growing water stress, warning of a negative impact on crop development.
Withdrawing Tax
The government is working to abolish 3% federal excise duty on the first sale of all properties in Pakistan from July, reversing a contentious tax that was imposed in June 2024. Critics had argued the tax had severely damaged the real-estate sector amidst high property prices and hefty transaction taxes. Further relief measures promised by the government are pending approval of the IMF.
Passing the Buck
The Balochistan High Court has disposed of a petition seeking the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Mahrang Baloch after directing the petitioner to approach the home department for her freedom. The ruling all-but-ensures that a standoff between protesters led by BNP-M’s Akhtar Mengal and the Balochistan government at Lakpass will continue, hampering traffic and trade in the region.