ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top opposition leaders are expected to meet over dinner on Monday to review the country’s emerging political situation and discuss their no-confidence strategy, reported local media.
Last week, the country’s leading opposition factions filed a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly Secretariat to bring down his administration.
While opposition parties maintain they have the requisite number of votes in the lower house of parliament to topple Khan’s government, their leaders are likely to review the numerical strength as well.
“The meeting will formulate a strategy regarding the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and will review its strategy to peel off allies of the ruling coalition to muster required numerical backing to topple the premier,” said The Express Tribune.
The event is scheduled to take place at the residence of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif.
It will also bring together Maulana Fazlur Rehman of Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Sardar Akhtar Mengal of Balochistan National Party (BNP) along with other opposition politicians.
According to the local media, the participants of the meeting are likely to discuss “rifts within the coalition government” which were highlighted during a recent spat between two federal ministers, Sheikh Rashid and Moonis Elahi, and widely reported by newspapers and television channels.
Pakistani opposition leaders to discuss strategy on no-confidence motion today
https://arab.news/2scfv
Pakistani opposition leaders to discuss strategy on no-confidence motion today
- Heads of the country’s top opposition parties are scheduled to meet over dinner to review the political situation
- Among other things, they are likely to discuss ‘rifts’ within the ruling coalition while reviewing numbers game
Pakistan, ADB sign $730 loan agreements to boost SOE reforms, energy infrastructure
- Both sign $330 million Power Transmission Strengthening Project and $400 million SOE Transformation Program loan agreements
- Economic Affairs Division official says Transmission Project will secure Pakistan’s energy future by strengthening national grid’s backbone
KARACHI: Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday signed two loan agreements totaling $730 million to boost reforms in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and energy infrastructure in the country, the bank said.
The first of the two agreements pertains to the SOE Transformation Program worth $400 million while the second loan, worth $330 million, is for a Power Transmission Strengthening Project, the lender said.
The agreements were signed by ADB Country Director for Pakistan Emma Fan and Pakistan’s Secretary of Economic Affairs Division Humair Karim.
“The agreements demonstrate ADB’s enduring commitment to supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Pakistan,” the ADB said.
Pakistan’s SOEs have incurred losses worth billions of dollars over the years due to financial mismanagement and corruption. These entities, including the country’s national airline Pakistan International Airlines, which was sold to a private group this week, have relied on subsequent government bailouts over the years to operate.
The ADB approved the $400 million loan for SOE reforms on Dec. 12. It said the program seeks to improve governance and optimize the performance of Pakistan’s commercial SOEs.
Karim highlighted that the Power Transmission Strengthening Project will enable reliable evacuation of 2,300 MW from Pakistan’s upcoming hydropower projects, relieve overloading of existing transmission lines and enhance resilience under contingency conditions, the Press Information Department (PID) said.
“The Secretary emphasized that both initiatives are transformative in nature as the Transmission Project will secure Pakistan’s energy future by strengthening the backbone of the national grid whereas the SOE Program will enhance transparency, efficiency and sustainability of state-owned enterprises nationwide,” the PID said.
The ADB has supported reforms by Pakistan to strengthen its public finance and social protection systems. It has also undertaken programs in the country to help with post-flood reconstruction, improve food security and social and human capital.
To date, ADB says it has committed 764 public sector loans, grants and technical assistance totaling $43.4 billion to Pakistan.
