ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is all set to address a multi-party opposition rally in Quetta city on Sunday through video link from London, amid a security alert issued by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
Sharif has been in London since November last year for medical treatment after securing an eight-week medical bail from a local court in a corruption case. Khan’s government has in recent weeks been seeking the extradition of Sharif from the UK.
“Nawaz Sharif will be addressing the rally and arrangements for it are being finalized,” Talal Chaudhry, a close aide to the former three-time elected premier and senior member of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, told Arab News on Saturday.
“We have reached Quetta along with Maryam Nawaz and other leaders for the rally,” Chaudhry said. “The enthusiasm and passion of the people is quite high here.”
The country’s 11-opposition party alliance-- the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – is holding nationwide protest rallies to oust the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which they accuse of being a product of rigging in the 2018 general elections. The government denies the charge.
The anti-government movement kicked off with a rally in Gujranwala city on Oct. 16 where, in an unprecedented moment, Sharif named sitting army officers and accused the military establishment of toppling his government, pressuring the judiciary and orchestrating Imran Khan’s rise to power in 2018, the same year Sharif was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to seven years in prison.
On Friday, in a television interview, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that recent meetings between the army chief and PML-N leaders were ‘a big mistake.’
But Chaudhry said the meetings had been held ‘in the name of Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.’
“If he [Khan] thinks something wrong is done through the meetings, he should initiate action,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan government flagged Quetta’s security as a concern on Friday after the National Counter Terrorism Authority issued an alert, and urged opposition parties to delay their rally in the “wider interest of the public.”
“When this threat has been eradicated or when the planners and masterminds are arrested ... they (PDM) can hold a rally. This will be better as they will get more time to prepare,” Liaquat Shahwani, the Balochistan government spokesperson, said on Friday in a press conference.
But opposition parties remain adamant to go ahead as per schedule, dismissing the security threat as a political ploy to call off their campaign.
“The government will say this when we are engaged in political activity against it,” Chaudhry Manzoor, a senior Pakistan Peoples Party’s [PPP] leader, told Arab News.
Chaudhry said the burden of responsibility fell on the shoulders of the provincial government.
“It is the responsibility of the government to ensure fool-proof security [of the opposition gathering],” he said. “We can’t delay or suspend our anti-government movement just on the basis of the threats.”
Political analysts say the threat is real and should be taken seriously in restive Balochistan province, where security forces and civilians routinely come under attack by militants.
“There is a potent context to the security alert [to the opposition rally] as our security forces have been under attack in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, trying to exploit our internal fault lines,” Imtiaz Gul, a political analyst, told Arab News.
“Whenever there is a meeting like this, it also serves as a fault line which can be easily attacked,” he warned.
Quetta: Opposition holds third protest today asking for government to go
https://arab.news/2agyz
Quetta: Opposition holds third protest today asking for government to go
- Shrugging off security threats, the top leadership of Sharif’s party has reached the restive Balochistan capital
- PM should ‘initiate action’ if he thinks something wrong was said in meetings between COAS and PML-N, says Talal Chaudhry
IMF staff to visit Pakistan Feb. 25 for key loan reviews as reforms stabilize economy
- Talks to cover third review under $7 billion bailout and climate resilience program
- Analysts warn tax shortfall, power tariff cuts could face scrutiny by lender
KARACHI: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team will visit Pakistan from Feb. 25 to begin discussions on key program reviews, the lender said on Thursday, as authorities seek to lock in recent economic stabilization after a prolonged financial crisis.
The talks will cover the third review under Pakistan’s $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) bailout and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), which supports countries dealing with climate vulnerabilities.
Pakistan has spent the past year implementing tough fiscal and structural reforms — including tax increases, subsidy cuts and a tighter monetary policy — to stabilize a fragile economy that faced record inflation, dwindling foreign reserves and default fears in 2023.
“We do have a staff team that is expected to visit Pakistan starting February 25th for discussions on the third review under the EFF and the second review under the RSF,” IMF communications director Julie Kozack said at a regular press briefing.
The IMF says the program aims to restore macroeconomic stability, rebuild external buffers and make Pakistan more resilient to climate shocks following devastating floods in recent years.
Kozack said Pakistan’s policy implementation had already produced measurable improvements.
“Pakistan’s policy efforts under the EFF have helped stabilize the economy and rebuild confidence,” she said.
She noted fiscal indicators were improving in line with program targets.
“Pakistan currently has a primary fiscal surplus of 1.3 percent of GDP in FY25, which was in line with program targets. Headline inflation has been relatively contained. And Pakistan posted its first current account surplus in 14 years in FY2025.”
Pakistani authorities have also cited improving macroeconomic trends.
Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jameel Ahmad has said growth could reach about 4.75 percent in the fiscal year ending June, while inflation, which peaked above 38 percent in May 2023, has fallen sharply over the past year following interest rate hikes and fiscal tightening.
The IMF official added that governance reforms remain a major component of the program.
“The governance and corruption diagnostic assessment report was recently published,” Kozack said.
“It includes proposals for reforms, including simplifying tax policy design, levelling the playing field for public procurement, and improving the asset declaration transparency.”
The upcoming review will determine whether Pakistan remains eligible for continued disbursements under the bailout program and help reinforce investor confidence.
Analysts say the review is likely to pass but may involve difficult negotiations on fiscal discipline and energy policy.
“This is expected to be a smooth sailing, however questions might arise,” Shankar Talreja, head of research at Karachi-based Topline Securities Limited, told Arab News.
Experts say the IMF could question whether Islamabad consulted the lender before reducing electricity tariffs by about Rs4 per unit for export-oriented industries, a move designed to support manufacturing but with fiscal implications.
He also flagged a revenue gap.
“Pakistan has missed” the IMF’s revenue target by Rs336 billion ($1.2 billion), he said.
“Tax revenue shortfall which is one of the indicative targets which Pakistan has missed.”
Muhammad Waqas Ghani, head of research at JS Global Capital Limited., said the next review may be “tough”:
“Although (Pakistan’s) macroeconomic indicators have improved since the start of the program, the IMF is still expected to press firmly on energy reforms and circular debt before clearing the next tranche, which the government is likely to secure after tough negotiations.”
