‘Once and for All’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasized on the need to eradicate the Fitna al-Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) “once and for all.” In a meeting of the Central Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, he has urged all provinces, federal authorities, and institutions to devise a comprehensive plan to combat terrorism and ensure peace across Pakistan amidst resurgent militancy.
Aid for Parachinar
Following the inking of a peace deal in Kurram district, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government will dispatch a convoy of aid to the restive region to alleviate the hardships of residents. The closure of roads connecting the region to the rest of the country has created a severe shortage of essential commodities, including medicines. Locals say the shortages have resulted in the deaths of 100 children.
Deadline Pressure
Noting the PTI’s actions have “wasted” 15 days, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah has urged the party to extend its deadline for talks from Jan. 31 until Feb. 28. The PMLN leader has recalled that the party had committed to submitting a written list of its demands during the Jan. 2 meeting but failed to do so. He has said that as the PTI is responsible for delays, it should shift its deadline accordingly.
New Judges
Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has convened four separate meetings of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan for the appointment of additional judges to high courts. A meeting for appointments to the Islamabad and Balochistan High Courts will take place on Jan. 17; to the Sindh High Court on Jan. 23; to the Peshawar High Court on Feb. 1; and to the Lahore High Court on Feb. 6.
Seeking Power
Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan are staging protests against daily power outages that stretch to 22 hours in some areas, noting the situation is growing untenable during the harsh winter conditions. The protesters have pointed to corruption and poor governance for their woes. The government has announced it plans to establish a 100MW solar power project in the region to address the power shortages.
No Army, Only Government
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan has claimed his party is no longer engaging in any “backdoor contacts” with the military establishment. He has maintained the party is currently engaging only with the civilian government. The development marks a significant shift for the party, which has previously maintained that viable talks are only possible with the “real decision-maker” and not the PMLN-led ruling coalition.
Opposition Spoilers
PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, an ally of the PTI, has questioned ongoing talks between the party and the government, claiming the latter lacks a “legitimate mandate.” Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi of the PPP has similarly voiced pessimism, saying he does not expect anything significant to come out of the ongoing negotiations between the two sides.
Seeking End to Censorship
The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has criticized the ‘blackout’ of opposition speeches on state-run PTV and called for transparency to ensure media freedom. Senators of the PTI have also sought an explanation from PEMRA on why Imran Khan’s name cannot be mentioned on media or why his image is not broadcast on TV channels.
Countering Underage Marriages
Residents of Punjab have urged the government to adopt an amendment to the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2015, raising the minimum marriage age for girls from 16 to 18 years old. Speakers at an event in Kallar Syedan stressed that child marriages are a severe violation of human and child rights, depriving them of their childhood, education, and opportunities for economic empowerment.
Preserving Heritage
The Punjab Education Department has approved a project to designate government schools constructed pre-Partition historical heritage sites. The initiative will restore and preserve all such schools after gathering comprehensive data off all 41 districts of the province. The renovations will prioritize schools built during the British colonial era, with special funds allocated for this purpose.