ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s anti-corruption body arrested a prominent opposition leader on Monday who has been a vocal critic of the prime minister.
Ahsan Iqbal was arrested hours after he publicly described Prime Minister Imran Khan as the country’s “biggest beggar.” He said Khan has failed to improve Pakistan’s ailing economy despite getting billions of dollars in new loans from the IMF and other countries.
Ahsan Iqbal served as interior minister in the government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was himself removed from office in 2017 over corruption allegations, and sentenced to prison the following year.
Iqbal was arrested Monday after he appeared before the National Accountability Bureau. He was being questioned about alleged corruption in the construction of a sports stadium several years ago in his constituency in the eastern Punjab province.
Maryam Aurangzeb, a spokeswoman for Iqbal’s political party, called his arrest “political victimization” and said he was detained “because he refused to stop criticizing Imran Khan.” She said the party will continue to push for Khan’s resignation.
Iqbal’s arrest was yet another addition to the long list of politicians from opposition parties who have been arrested on corruption charges since Khan took office. He campaigned in last year’s election on promises to stamp out governmental corruption.
Khan’s predecessor, Sharif, got a seven-year prison sentence in 2018 for corruption and money laundering. However, his health has recently deteriorated, and he’s currently receiving medical treatment in London after being released on bail earlier this month.
In June, Khan’s government arrested former President Asif Ali Zardari in connection with a money laundering case. But a court freed him earlier this month on bail, also on medical grounds.
Sharif and Zardari are longtime political rivals but their parties have vowed to oust Khan’s government, citing increasing inflation and a spike in the price of essential foods.
Pakistan arrests opposition leader known for criticizing PM
https://arab.news/9anfj
Pakistan arrests opposition leader known for criticizing PM
- Ahsan Iqbal served as interior minister in Sharif’s government
- PML-N called the arrest “political victimization”
World Bank president in Pakistan to discuss development projects, policy issues
- Pakistan, World Bank are currently gearing up to implement a 10-year partnership framework to grant $20 billion loans to the cash-strapped nation
- World Bank President Ajay Banga will hold meetings with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials during the high-level visit
ISLAMABAD: World Bank President Ajay Banga has arrived in Pakistan to hold talks with senior government officials on development projects and key policy issues, Pakistani state media reported on Sunday, as Islamabad seeks multilateral support to stabilize economy and accelerate growth.
The visit comes at a time when Pakistan and the World Bank are gearing up to implement a 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to grant $20 billion in loans to the cash-strapped nation.
The World Bank’s lending for Pakistan, due to start this year, will focus on education quality, child stunting, climate resilience, energy efficiency, inclusive development and private investment.
"World Bank President Ajay Banga arrives in Pakistan for a high-level visit," the state-run Pakistan TV Digital reported on Sunday. "During his stay, he will meet Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior officials to discuss economic reforms, development projects, and key policy issues."
Pakistan, which nearly defaulted on its foreign debt obligations in 2023, is currently making efforts to stabilize its economy under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
Besides efforts to boost trade and foreign investment, Islamabad has been seeking support from multilateral financial institutions to ensure economic recovery.
“This partnership fosters a unified and focused vision for your county around six outcomes with clear, tangible and ambitious 10-year targets,” Martin Raiser, the World Bank vice president for South Asia, had said at the launch of the CPF in Jan. last year.
“We hope that the CPF will serve as an anchor for this engagement to keep us on the right track. Partnerships will equally be critical. More resources will be needed to have the impact at the scale that we wish to achieve and this will require close collaboration with all the development partners.”
In Dec., the World Bank said it had approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan under a multi-year initiative aimed at supporting the country's macroeconomic stability and service delivery.
It followed a $47.9 million World Bank grant in August last year to improve primary education in Pakistan's most populous Punjab province.
