Ulema Face-Off
Pushing back against JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s demand for madrassas to be regulated under the Societies Registration Act, a group of ulema have urged the government to maintain the current system of madrassa registration. Fazl has claimed this is an attempt to sow divisions among ulema and vowed he will “go to any extent” to ensure the independence of madrassas in Pakistan.
U.S. Supports Pakistan
United States Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker has said Washington will support Islamabad as it undertakes difficult but necessary economic reforms to realize a “more prosperous” future. Addressing the fifth Pakistan-America Business Forum Summit, Baker stressed on economic opportunities in technology, business, trade, climate resilience and security.
PTI Infighting Continues
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, has once again exchanged harsh words with the leadership of the PTI, questioning why they cannot ensure ‘facilities’ for her brother. PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan has also butted heads with the party founder’s wife, Bushra Imran, over her criticism of the Punjab leadership for failing to reach Islamabad during last month’s protest.
Bullish Sentiment at PSX
The Pakistan Stock Exchange is continuing to break records, with the KSE-100 Index reaching an intraday high of 111,014.73 points, surpassing the previous day’s close of 109,970.38 points. Analysts say the rally indicates positive sentiment among investors about Pakistan’s economic outlook, particularly declining inflation, stronger foreign exchange reserves and increased economic activity.
Remittances Maintain Stable Inflows
Latest data from the State Bank of Pakistan has revealed that remittances from overseas Pakistanis have reached $14.8 billion in the first five months of fiscal year 2024-25, a 33.6% gain from the corresponding period last year. In November, per the central bank, overseas Pakistani remitted $2.9 billion, a 5% decline from October, but a 29.1% increase year-on-year.
Pakistanis in Syria
Chairing a meeting on the evolving situation in Syria, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed relevant authorities to form an action plan for the safe evacuation of any Pakistanis who wish to leave the embattled Middle Eastern state. In this regard, the Pakistan Embassy in Damascus will establish an information desk and helpline to facilitate any Pakistanis seeking to return home.
Punjab Bans Mobile Phones in Schools
The Punjab government has imposed a ban on the use of mobile phones by both teachers and students in all government and private schools. The decision, per local media, stems from reports of teachers “wasting” time by using mobile phones during work hours, and “problems” arising from recorded videos going viral on social media.
FBR Tightens Travel Baggage Rules
The Federal Board of Revenue has proposed a ban on travelers bringing goods to Pakistan from abroad in “commercial quantity.” It defines any goods brought from abroad valued at over $1,200 as commercial goods, adding they will not be released—even on payment of duties, taxes and redemption fines. It has also restricted passengers to bringing just one mobile phone for personal use.
Pakistan Air Force to Buy PIA Unit
The Government of Pakistan has decided to sell the PIA’s Precision Engineering Complex to the Pakistan Air Force for Rs. 2.5 billion against its total value of Rs. 6.5 billion, which includes Rs. 4 billion in pension-related liabilities. The unit was already delinked from PIA and has been parked in a PIA holding company along with Rs. 623 billion in liabilities of the national flag carrier.
Military Trials for Civilians
The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court has rejected a plea to defer proceedings into appeals against a ruling banning military trials of civilians, and fined petitioner Jawwad S. Khawaja, a former chief justice of Pakistan, Rs. 20,000 for seeking to delay the case. The bench has also rejected a government plea to allow military courts to announce verdicts of already-completed trials.