No Kings Protests
Cities across the U.S. witnessed large protests against the Trump administration on Saturday, with estimates of more than 8 million people in attendance. According to the protesters, they were demonstrating against the Iran war, immigration enforcement and the rising cost of living. Protesters held up effigies of Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other officials, calling for their arrest.
Mediation Efforts
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has indicated that Islamabad may soon play host to talks between Iran and the United States as efforts to end the Middle East conflict pick up pace. Over the weekend, foreign ministers of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Egypt convened in Islamabad and discussed means to end the conflict, stressing on the importance of unity within the Muslim world.
No Need to Panic
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated that Pakistan has sufficient reserves of petroleum products to meet requirements but has urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel and opt for teleconferencing to conserve fuel. Amidst volatile fuel prices, the government is also considering a targeted subsidy framework to provide relief to motorcycle and rickshaw drivers.
Power Policy
The government has devised various models to balance rising summer demand of electricity against fuel supply disruptions caused by the Iran war. One such proposal calls for several hours of daily load-shedding coupled with compulsory conservation and tariff hikes. A key concern is the lack of LNG, which currently accounts for more than 21% of total power generation in the country.
Strait Passage
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has announced a new arrangement with Iran, facilitating the passage of two ships through the Strait of Hormuz daily. Dubbing the move a constructive development, he said it merited appreciation for Tehran and maintained it would prove a “harbinger” of peace. He further emphasized the confidence-building measure would strengthen efforts to end the war.
Release Force Shelved
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has reportedly shelved a plan to form an “Imran Khan Release Force,” citing internal differences over the initiative announced by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and “legal” concerns. The party will now seek to curry support through a broader initiative that is open to all supporters and does not entail any oath-taking or formal structure of a “force.”
Prepping for Scarcity
Pakistan, with support from the U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification, has devised its first-ever National Drought Action Plan, highlighting planning and resource mobilization, governance and policy, early warning systems, local mitigation actions and capacity building. Participants of a conference in Islamabad stressed climate change is making droughts more frequent and severe.
Fake News
The Information Ministry has rejected as fake a notification claiming the government is imposing a two-day lockdown nationwide to counter a looming fuel crisis in the event of a prolonged Middle East war. The notification, circulating on social media, had claimed the country would observe a comprehensive lockdown every Saturday and Sunday, starting from April 5.
Blackout
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks has said Iran has entered its 30th consecutive day of a nationwide Internet blackout, cutting out the country from information and communication amidst the ongoing war triggered by joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. According to Iranians, the domestic intranet remains operational but access to the global internet has been severely restricted.
IMF Bailout
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced the inking of a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on the third review of the Extended Fund Facility program and the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Facility. Once approved by the lender’s Board, it will see Pakistan receive a fresh tranche of about $1.210 billion as part of its ongoing 37-month bailout.