Judicial Reshuffle
The government has transferred three judges to the Islamabad High Court, amidst concerns from senior judges over one of the new entrants emerging as a frontrunner for the next chief justice of the high court. The decision has prompted protests from lawyers, who have decided to challenge the transfers, claiming they threaten judicial independence.
Tackling Polio
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has launched the first nationwide anti-polio campaign for 2025, personally administering the vaccine to several children under-5. The latest campaign aims to target millions of children from Feb. 3-9. Last year, Pakistan recorded 77 new cases of the poliovirus, raising fears over the eradication of the disease, which remains endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Debt Restructuring
The federal government is considering converting circular debt in the power sector into public debt to reduce consumer tariffs. The package of proposed reforms also outlines steps being taken to re-profile loans by increasing debt payment tenure. Combined, the two steps aim to reduce tariffs by roughly Rs. 8/unit. The country’s total circular debt currently stands at Rs. 2.26 trillion.
No More Talks
Members of a committee formed by the government to negotiate with the PTI have urged its dissolution following the opposition party’s decision to boycott dialogue until the formation of judicial commissions into the May 9 and Nov. 26 incidents. The matter has been placed before P.M. Sharif, who has yet to issue any formal orders for the committee’s future.
Mounting Terror
Data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies has found that terrorism in January 2025 surged by 42% compared December 2024. According to a report, authorities recorded at least 74 militant attacks nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities—35 security personnel, 20 civilians and 36 militants. Additionally, 117 individuals were injured.
Population Control
The World Fertility Report 2024 issued by the United Nations has revealed that Pakistan’s fertility rate has declined from six live births per woman in 1994 to 3.6 per woman in 2024. Hailing the development, the report opines that reducing growth in the numbers of live births in the future will enable governments and families to better allocate resources for the wellbeing of children.
Beggars Beware
The Federal Investigation Agency has confirmed the deportation of at least 10 Pakistanis from Saudi Arabia who traveled to the Gulf kingdom on Umrah visas but took up begging there instead. All the suspects were arrested upon their return to Pakistan, with preliminary investigations revealing they had been begging in Saudi Arabia for several months before they were ousted.
Seeking Clean Air
Senior Punjab Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has announced the government has installed 30 air quality monitors in various locations to effectively tackle air pollution. Of these, five mobile and eight fixed monitoring stations have been set up in Lahore. The monitors aim to help identify pollution hotspots in industrial and urban areas, allowing authorities to regulate emissions more effectively.
Backchannel Talks
PTI Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar has confirmed the party is continuing engagements with the establishment. Speaking with journalists after presiding over a meeting of the party’s provincial leadership, he has maintained the PTI does not desire any confrontation with the state. He has claimed the party’s upcoming rally in Swabi on Feb. 8 will be its largest in the province.
Trade wars
In retaliation to U.S. President Trump’s announcement on tariffs on various imports from Canada (25%), Mexico (25%) and China (10%), Canadian P.M. Justin Trudeau has revealed retaliatory tariffs. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also indicated she will implement retaliatory tariffs. China, meanwhile, has left the door open for negotiations to “manage differences” between the two states.