ISLAMABAD: Pakistani opposition leaders on Tuesday criticised the central government for what they described as its failure to govern and rescue the nation from economic crisis during its two years in power, as top ministers held a press conference to present their achievements.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan was sworn in as prime minister on August 18, 2018, with his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party sweeping to power in a landmark election on a populist platform, vowing to root out corruption among a venal elite, create 10 million jobs, build an Islamic welfare state and restore Pakistan’s tattered image abroad.
“2 years of PTI government have been an unmitigated disaster,” opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif wrote on Twitter. “From foreign policy to economy to governance, IK’s mismanagement of national affairs has increased the woes of the masses manifold. People continue to pay heavy price for this failed experiment in political engineering.”
Chairman of opposition Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said:
"2 years in power & @ImranKhanPTI has given us the worst economy in our country’s history, foreign policy failures from Kashmir to Saudi, democracy & human rights suffering , unemployment at an all time high, transparency international has said corru (corrupt) PTI on is higher than before.”
But key cabinet ministers, including Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Adviser on Finance Hafeez Sheikh and Information Minister Shibli Faraz, held a press conference and hailed the government’s two years as a ‘success.’
Sheikh said that neutral international observers had acknowledged economic progress made by Pakistan despite the coronavirus crisis.
Due to the government's policies, organisations like Moody's, Fitch and Bloomberg had improved Pakistan's rating, the PM’s advisor on finance said, adding that the current account deficit had reduced from $20 billion to three billion dollars.
Qureshi said Pakistan had played a key role in peace talks in Afghanistan to end an 18 year old civil war and stressed on “economic diplomacy.”
"A dramatic shift can be seen from diplomatic isolation to effective representation," he said, saying that PM Khan had "internationalised" the Kashmir dispute with India and highlighted rights abuses for India security forces.
Pakistani government celebrates 'successful' two years as opposition calls out failures
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Pakistani government celebrates 'successful' two years as opposition calls out failures
- Imran Khan was sworn in as prime minister on August 18, 2018, with his PTI party sweeping to power on a populist platform
- Top ministers hold a press conference to present the government’s key achievements on the economic and diplomatic fronts
UN Security Council calls on states to help Pakistan bring Balochistan attackers to justice
- Security officials say counterterrorism operations have killed 197 separatist militants over three days
- Security Council calls such acts of militant violence criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of motivation
ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday condemned coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, urging all countries to actively cooperate with Islamabad in bringing the perpetrators to justice, as security officials said 197 separatist militants had been killed in counterterrorism operations over the past three days.
The attacks, claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), targeted security installations and government facilities across multiple districts in the province, killing more than 50 people, including 22 members of the security forces, Pakistani authorities said.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused BLA militants of acting as “Indian proxies” and receiving logistical support from Afghanistan, allegations that both New Delhi and Kabul deny.
“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks across multiple locations in Balochistan province, Pakistan, on 31st January 2026,” the Council said in a statement circulated by its president, James Kariuki.
“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice,” it said. “They urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Government of Pakistan in this regard.”
The statement said the attacks resulted in the deaths of Pakistani nationals, among them five women and three children.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and the people of Pakistan, and wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured,” it added.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said “follow-up and sanitization operations against these terrorists are still ongoing,” adding that 36 Baloch civilians had also “fallen victim to the barbarity of these terrorists.”
He also confirmed the exact death toll on both sides, saying 36 “Baloch citizens who have fallen victim to the barbarity of these terrorists.”
The Council reiterated that such acts of militant violence are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of motivation.
Pakistan is currently serving as a non-permanent Security Council member for the 2025-26 term.
