‘Black Day’
Various opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) are staging demonstrations nationwide today (Feb. 8) to mark the first anniversary of the 2024 general elections. The protesters maintain the elections were rigged. The PTI is demanding the return of its “stolen” mandate, while the JI is seeking an independent probe into the results of the polls.
Going Postal
Dissenting judges of both the Islamabad High Court and the Supreme Court are continuing to write letters to their respective chief justices, seeking expedited hearings into the legitimacy of the 26th Amendment before a full court and a halt on new judicial appointments. The letters have yet to receive any favorable response.
Rescheduling Debt
Pakistan has formally requested the rescheduling of $3.4 billion in debt from China for two years. The move aims to bridge a foreign funding gap identified by the International Monetary Fund. If Beijing agrees to Islamabad’s request, it would resolve external funding concerns ahead of an upcoming IMF review of the ongoing $7 billion Extended Fund Facility.
Taxing Polluters
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has called for a “global environment tax” on the top polluting countries, saying this fund can then be used to help countries facing the brunt of adverse impacts of climate change. He has further said Pakistan’s response to climate change will determine the future of its economy, environment and public well-being.
Peaceful Protest
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has emphasized the party has no intention of fomenting chaos or conflict and will only register its protest against the 2024 general elections through a rally at Swabi. While stressing the party has no plans for any major demonstration apart from that in Swabi, he has said smaller demonstrations will occur in union councils nationwide.
Journey’s End
An American woman who had camped out in Karachi for several months after being jilted by a teenage boy she met online has finally returned home. Onijah Andrew Robinson had reached Pakistan with an intent to marry 19-year-old Nidal Ahmed Memon, but was turned down after his parents refused to support their nuptials. The U.S. Consulate in Karachi facilitated her return.
Hefty Costs
Rallies in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa since the 2024 general elections have cost provincial Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Rs. 500 million. The PTI claims Gandapur personally funded these expenses and did not avail any government resources. Additionally, says a spokesperson, the chief minister has arranged Rs. 5 million for the PTI’s rally in Swabi.
Protests Ended
Lawyers in Hyderabad have ended a three-day protest after a police officer they had accused of harassment went on leave. The dispute stemmed from Hyderabad police registering a case against a lawyer for lacking a legal license plate for his car and having tinted windows. PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh supported the demonstrations.
Cheap Power
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to further reduce electricity tariffs for domestic and industrial consumers, stressing this is vital for economic success. He has also vowed to intensify an ongoing campaign against power theft and improve the functioning of distribution companies to improve their performance. He has cited a reduction in transmission losses as a clear indication of successful reforms.
Lagging Revenue
Despite meeting the IMF’s targets for a budget surplus, the government’s performance in an upcoming IMF review remains murky due to the poor performance of the Federal Board of Revenue. The FBR has thus far failed to collect a minimum of Rs. 23.4 billion in taxes from traders or boost tax revenue beyond Rs. 6 trillion as committed to the lender for the release of the first tranche of the $7 billion bailout.