Long March
A long march organized by the Balochistan National Party-Mengal to protest the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee leaders, including Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Baloch, started from Wadh on Friday, reaching Khuzdar by nightfall. BNP-M President Akhtar Mengal says the march will turn into a sit-in once it reaches Quetta and will continue until the release of the detained activists.
No Unity in Sight
The ruling PMLN and the PTI are at odds over resurgent terrorism, each accusing the other of facilitating militancy through policy failures. After Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry accused the PTI of facilitating militants during its time in government, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan responded by urging the government to focus on counter-terrorism rather than political point-scoring.
NFC Meeting
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has written to President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking the convening of the 10th National Finance Commission meeting to deliberate on finances for the erstwhile tribal areas. In the letter, he claims his province should have been paid Rs. 360 billion till 2024 for the welfare of the tribal areas following their merger into Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Judicial Rifts
Divisions within the Islamabad High Court have come to the fore once more, with Justice Babar Sattar questioning the powers of acting Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar. The current rift has arisen over Justice Sattar refusing to hear a case and taking exception to an executive order directing his bench to hear the same.
Afghan Repatriation
The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration has said the number of citizens returning to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan jumped by 102 percent in the third week of March. It has claimed the surge is due to voluntary returns. Pakistan has set a March 31 deadline for Afghan refugees and undocumented migrants to return voluntarily or risk deportation.
Anti-Terror Narrative
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the information ministries of all provinces to work toward building a unified national narrative against all forms of terrorism. In pursuit of this goal, the government will soon activist a National Narrative Council, which will produce plays, dramas and films highlighting how terrorism is antithetical to humanity, the country and Islamic values.
JUIF vs. PTI
Attempts at alliance between the PTI and JUIF have hit a stumbling block over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s criticism of JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. In a statement the JUIF has claimed Gandapur seeks to benefit undemocratic forces by widening the gap between the PTI and JUIF, hurting their chances of forming a joint alliance after Eidul Fitr.
Interfaith Harmony
The Punjab government has formed a 38-member Minority Advisory Council to address the concerns of minority communities within the province. The consultative body is tasked with advising the government on resolving minority issues and safeguarding their rights, while also proposing measures to foster interfaith unity and reduce divisions.
Lowering Costs
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said the government is striving to lower electricity costs as part of a broader plan to boost the manufacturing sector and increase exports. In addition to lower tariffs, he has said, the government will lower financing costs and taxation burdens to steer the country toward an export-led economy.
Equal Rights
The Supreme Court has ruled that a married woman remains an equal child of her deceased parent and any denial of her entitlement on the basis of her marriage is tantamount to denying her constitutional identity as an equal citizen. The order states that any presumption that a married woman becomes financially dependent on her husband is legally untenable and religiously unfounded.