Escalating Tensions
Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan has said attempts to end the conflict are reaching a ‘critical stage,’ though it remains unclear if the process is heading toward a sustainable ceasefire or a prolonged war. Israel has already warned Iranians to avoid using trains, while U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran’s bridges and power plants.
Economic Concerns
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the war in the Middle East will lead to higher inflation and slower global growth. The conflict has shrunk the global oil supply by 13%, with the lender warning that even a rapid end to hostilities and a fairly rapid recovery will result in a reduction in global growth estimates and higher inflation.
Fuel Conservation
Across Pakistan, barring Sindh, will see the closure of markets and shopping malls at 8 p.m. from today (April 7) as part of the federal government’s energy conservation measures amidst ongoing fuel supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. Medical stores and pharmacies are exempt from the restriction, while the Sindh government has said it is still ‘deliberating’ on the measures.
Reducing Reliance
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized the need for mass adoption of electric vehicles to reduce the country’s reliance on imported fuel and save foreign reserves. Both the Punjab government and the center have inducted electric vehicles into fleets for traffic police, with the prime minister vowing the initial batch of 15 would soon be supplemented with additional EVs.
Strait of Hormuz
The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a Bahrain-drafted resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, calling for states using the commercial routes to coordinate defensive measures to ensure safe navigation. It also demands that Iran immediately cease attacks on commercial ships and civilian infrastructure, including oil, gas, and water installations.
IMF Conditions
The IMF has imposed a new condition on Pakistan, requiring the country to ensure integrity and transparency in the appointment of the National Accountability Bureau chairman by making it mandatory to include the representation of opposition parties in the commission tasked with the responsibility. The country must implement this task by January 2027.
Gender Gap
Pakistan is striving to bridge the gender gap in digital inclusion, with I.T. Minister Shaza Khawaja noting the gender mobile internet usage gap has dropped from 36-38% to 25%. Additionally, she says, women have created more than 800,000 digital wallets through the Ramazan digital payments initiative, while the government is providing seven million free SIMs to underserved women.
Fuel Prices
In a heated debate on the floor of the National Assembly, opposition parties criticized the recent increase in petroleum prices, as government lawmakers defended them as a necessary measure in line with global fluctuations. The government, during the session, stressed that while prices were high, the country had no shortage of fuel and had availed alternate routes for additional supplies.
PTI Rally
The PTI has reiterated that it will stage a rally at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi on April 9, warning that if authorities do not grant permission for the event, they will take legal action. The rally’s date coincides with the day a no-confidence motion removed then-Prime Minister Imran Khan from office in 2022. Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 following multiple convictions.
Easing Export Rules
The State Bank of Pakistan has introduced several reforms aimed at facilitating I.T. exporters and freelancers, allowing them to provide a one-time declaration at the time of opening a new account and fixing to one working day the turnaround time for inward receipts and outward remittances from special foreign currency accounts.