Governance Woes
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Peshawar leadership has criticized the party’s government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa over its handling of civic issues and urban development in the provincial capital. The district-level leadership has warned of protests if the provincial government does not ensure the construction of a new hospital and better economic opportunities for citizens.
Circular Debt
Energy Minister Awais Leghari has claimed the government will not impose any new surcharge on electricity consumers to settle the sector’s Rs. 2,400 billion circular debt. Power consumers currently pay Rs. 2.83/unit debt servicing surcharge, which the minister has described as “sufficient.” He has also said the government is on track to resolve the circular debt in 5-6 years.
Terror Alert
Police have confirmed that security forces across Punjab have been placed on high alert due to a surge in terror incidents nationwide this month. According to a spokesperson, police conduct 436 search and sweep operations over the weekend, detaining 123 suspects and 38 proclaimed offenders, and confiscating several weapons and a large cache of ammunition.
Visa Concerns
Pakistan is seeking clarity on reports that the U.S. State Department is considering travel curbs on Pakistanis, requiring “more scrutiny” when they apply for visas. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has warned Pakistanis against leaving the United States until the Trump administration announces its new travel ban to ensure they face no difficulties in returning.
Torkham Peace
Tribal elders and traders from Pakistan met their Afghan counterparts over the weekend to negotiate for peace and facilitate the reopening of the Torkham border crossing, which was shuttered two weeks ago over Afghan forces’ renovation of a disputed border post. The Jirga has urged the Afghans to commit to peace and end violations of border agreements to achieve a durable solution.
Educational Support
The federal government has decided to utilize £190 million recovered from Bahria Town’s Malik Riaz to build a public sector university and Daanish schools in impoverished regions. The PTI government had earlier adjusted the funds against Bahria’s private liabilities, leading to former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s 14-year conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
‘Not Jihad’
JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that anyone who targets religious scholars or mosques is not a “mujahid” but rather a “murderer” and “terrorist.” Referring to last week’s suicide bombing at the Darul Uloom Haqqania, he said such assaults betrayed “narrow-mindedness,” as Islam considers the killing of even one person tantamount to the killing of all humanity.
Piling on Thanks
Following expressions of gratitude from U.S. President Donald Trump and the State Department, the United States Central Command has also thanked Pakistan for its help in arresting the main suspect in the 2021 Kabul Airport bombing that killed nearly 200 people. CENTCOM further stressed that Pakistan and the U.S. have a “common interest in the war on terrorism.”
Rising Repression
Civicus Monitor’s human rights watchlist has added Pakistan to countries where civic space is shrinking, describing the country’s status as “repressed.” It has specifically pointed to arrests of protesters and amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act as tools to clamp down on free speech in violation of Pakistan’s international human rights obligations.
Looming Deadline
The majority of Afghan nationals directed by the government to leave Pakistan by March 31 are residing in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Under the directive, all undocumented Afghans and those who possess Afghan Citizen Cards have been directed to return to their homeland or risk forcible deportation. The measure is a continuation of the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program implemented in November 2023.