Joint Front
All mainstream parties of Pakistan—sans PTI—have pledged to support the armed forces in the ongoing standoff between Pakistan and India in case the latter attempts any military action. The vow came about during an in-camera briefing on the prevailing situation, with participants updated on the Pahalgam attack and India’s desire to use it as a pretext to further divert waters of the Indus River.
Opting for Self-Interest
The PTI boycotted an in-camera national security briefing on escalating tensions with India, claiming it saw no point in it without the participation of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan. In a statement, the party claimed it supported national unity in the prevailing scenario. However, critics have noted the party is once again opting for self-interest over national defense as the threat of war looms.
Silencing Opposition
India is continuing to block access to social media accounts of Pakistani politicians, government officials, journalists and even athletes and celebrities. Attempts to access Pakistani accounts from India yield messages claiming the block is a result of a legal demand. Pakistani leaders have criticized the move as undemocratic, stating this “proves” India is unwilling to allow its public to make up its own mind.
Seeking Peace
The Gulf Cooperation Council has urged India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and resume dialogue, warning of regional instability if the prevailing situation persists or an outright conflict occurs. In recent days, Turkiye, Iran, Russia, the U.S., and the United Nations have made similar calls with offers to serve as mediators. India has yet to voice any significant response to these statements.
Water War
India has restricted the water flow from the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River and is considering similar measures at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River, as Delhi continues its illegal suspension of the Indus Water Treaty in a bid to deny Pakistan its rightful share of the Indus River. Pakistan has vowed to challenge India’s actions before international bodies, warning denying access to water is an act of war.
Rewarding Themselves
President Asif Ali Zardari has promulgated an ordinance increasing the monthly salaries of federal and state ministers by up to 188%. The controversial decisions comes as average citizens complain about rampant taxes, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently defending a decision to maintain fuel prices amidst a global plunge as a means to fund infrastructure projects in Balochistan.
Monetary Policy
Analysts expect the State Bank of Pakistan to maintain the policy rate at 12% this week amidst economic and geopolitical uncertainty coupled with inflation concerns. Experts say the situation may chance after the budget for the next fiscal year makes inflation risks clearer, adding there is a small chance that the central bank may reduce the interest rate by a nominal 50 basis points.
Penalizing Apathy
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to deduct salaries of medical staff who arrive late or leave early from hospitals and healthcare centers across the province. The decision follows growing concern over a lack of punctuality among healthcare personnel, hampering service delivery. If employees continue to arrive late or leave early despite salary cuts, they will face disciplinary action.
Revamping Education
The Punjab government has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to revamp public sector education across the province, focusing on uplifting infrastructure, boosting enrolment, and modernizing classroom learning. The province has already outsourced more than 11,000 schools, claiming this has boosted enrolment and improve service delivery.
Hate Crimes
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation has expressed concern over rising incidents of Islamophobia in India-held Kashmir, as well as hate crimes and “retaliatory” strikes against Muslims following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Demanding a prompt, transparent, and impartial investigation into the incident, it has warned that targeting Muslims in its aftermath risks fueling communal violence.