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For the first time, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa unveils $6.3 billion budget ahead of federal government

Newly elected members take oath at the provincial legislature of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly in Peshawar on February 28, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 24 May 2024
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For the first time, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa unveils $6.3 billion budget ahead of federal government

  • Critics say the move will further deepen the trust deficit between the provincial and federal authorities
  • KP finance minister says the province did not get its due share in revenue, faced $499.08 million deficit
Updated 24 May 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: For the first time in history, Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on Friday announced its budget of Rs1,754 billion ($6.3 billion) before the federal government, with one of its senior officials justifying the move on the basis of provincial autonomy.

The KP government is led by former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, whose administration in Islamabad was ousted from power following a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022.

Since then, its leadership has struggled to stay politically afloat, with many of its members, including Khan, being incarcerated for several months in multiple legal cases. The PTI is now in the opposition at the center, where its lawmakers frequently clash with members of the treasury benches in a deeply polarized environment.

Speaking to Arab News, KP finance minister’s media officer, Anwar Khan Khattak, said a province could present its own budget after the 18th amendment, which ensures autonomy to all federating units.

“We are not in competition either with provinces or the federal government,” he said. “We have our own exclusivity in terms of governance. That’s why we took a lead in presenting our budget.”

“A province only needs the federal government’s assistance in achieving tax targets,” he added.

However, Asmat Shah, a Peshawar-based journalist and expert on economic affairs, said provinces presented their budget after the federal government, saying the KP government’s decision to do the opposite would only widen the trust deficit with the administration in Islamabad.

“The only logic I see behind KP’s move to present the budget before the federal government is that it wants to demonstrate efficiency to its voters,” he maintained. “Secondly, the PTI-led government wants to show the masses it is not dependent on the federal authorities while making critical decisions.”

Criticizing the budget itself, Shah said that the provincial government should have allocated more funds for security, education and health sectors, which were badly affected due to years of militancy in the region.

Earlier, KP’s finance minister Aftab Alam unveiled the budget in the provincial assembly.

“The total outlay of the budget is Rs1,754 billion,” he said. “Mr. Speaker, development expenditures have a lead role for people’s prosperity and development of the province. Development expenditure not only enhances people’s life standard but creates job opportunities to move the economy in tandem. Rs416.30 billion ($1.49 billion) has been allocated for development expenditures for the fiscal budget 2024-25.”

Alam also criticized the federal authorities for not providing the province’s due share in revenue.

“Mr. Speaker, it is to be mentioned that following the merger of erstwhile tribal districts into KP, the province has a total Rs262 billion ($940.72 million) annual share in the NFC [National Finance Commission] award but the province has received only Rs123 billion ($441.64 million),” he added. “Keeping in view this, KP is facing an annual deficit of Rs139 billion ($499.08 million).”

Topics: KP Budget Budget 2024-25 Pakistan

Baloch rights group accuses authorities of arrests, suspending Internet ahead of protest in Gwadar

Updated 6 sec ago
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Baloch rights group accuses authorities of arrests, suspending Internet ahead of protest in Gwadar

  • Baloch Yakjehti Committee has organized a gathering in Gwadar on Sunday to protest alleged rights abuses in Balochistan
  • The Pakistani state denies any wrongdoing in the southwestern province, which has been the site of a low-level insurgency
Updated 6 sec ago
SAADULLAH AKHTER

QUETTA: Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), which advocates for rights of ethnic Baloch people, on Saturday accused Pakistani authorities of suspending Internet and arresting dozens of its members in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, a day before a protest in the port city of Gwadar.
Led by 31-year-old human rights activist Dr. Mahrang Baloch, the BYC summoned the ‘Baloch Raji Muchi,’ or Baloch National Gathering, in Gwadar this month to rally the masses against alleged human rights abuses and heavy deployment of security forces in the southwestern Pakistani province.
Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is the site of a low-level insurgency for the last two decades by separatists, who say they are fighting what they see as unfair exploitation of the province’s wealth by the federation. The Pakistani state denies the allegation.
Through social media platforms, the BYC has been mobilizing and inviting people from across Balochistan for the gathering, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday at the Gwadar Marine Drive, an important thoroughfare in the coastal city.
“The authorities have started blocking highways in Balochistan in a bid to intercept convoys of Baloch people coming to attend Baloch Raji Muchi in Gwadar and police have arrested more than 100 BYC members from various districts of Balochistan,” Baloch told Arab News.
“There has been a complete blackout of Internet in Gwadar and Kech districts since Friday evening and mobile service is likely to be suspended today. We are concerned that the government will intensify crackdown against BYC members as they have already registered four FIRs (first information reports) against our members in the Kalat and Hub districts.”
Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan government, denied allegations of a crackdown on the BYC and Internet suspension in Gwadar.
“The Balochistan chief minister has clearly said on the floor of the provincial assembly, the constitution of Pakistan gives people the right to a peaceful gathering, but the government has the right to decide the venue for it,” he told Arab News. “No one will be allowed to hold such gatherings based on their own will.”
Arab News spoke to a number of people in Gwadar and Turbat districts, who said mobile Internet had been suspended in both districts since Friday evening.
Gwadar, situated along the Arabian Sea, lies at the heart of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC), under which Beijing has funnelled tens of billions of dollars into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.
But the undertaking has been hit by Islamabad struggling to keep up its financial obligations as well as attacks on Chinese targets by militants in Balochistan, Pakistan’s most impoverished province, and elsewhere in the country.

Police stand guard at the Mian Ghundi area in Quetta, Pakistan on July 27, 2024, ahead of Baloch Yakjehti Committee rally. (Photo Courtesy: BYC)

In the provincial capital of Quetta, authorities have blocked all entry and exit points and imposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, a provision that allows the administration to prohibit assembly of four or more people.
Saad bin Asad, the Quetta deputy commissioner, said they had blocked the Luk-Pass tunnel, a key point on the Quetta-Karachi highway, to prevent people from violating Section 144 ahead of Sunday’s gathering. “At least 140 people have been arrested from different sites of Quetta and we would share the details of the detained people,” he told Arab News.
The administration’s move came after the Balochistan government described the Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar as a “conspiracy” against the second phase of CPEC in Pakistan that has witnessed a “hiatus” following the killing of five Chinese engineers in a suicide attack in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in March.
On Friday, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti questioned the protesters’ choice of Gwadar as the venue of the rally amid Pakistan’s security assurances to the Chinese.
“Why Gwadar and why not Quetta,” Bugti questioned, during a provincial assembly session. “They planned to hold this gathering in Gwadar where we have frequent international movements and we have invited Chinese officials for the inauguration of Gwadar International Airport next month.”
Bugti informed the lawmakers that there were intelligence reports about “serious threats” of attacks on the gathering in Gwadar by a Baloch separatist group, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), to malign the government and the state institutions.

Baloch Yakjehti Committee representatives talk with police in Nushki, Pakistan on July 27, 2024, ahead of their departure to Gwadar to attend Baloch Raji Muchi gathering. (Photo Courtesy: BYC)

“Despite talks with BYC members to shift the venue for this gathering, but if they are adamant, the government will take action against people challenging the writ of the state,” he added.
Sammi Deen Baloch, one of the organizers of Sunday’s gathering, said Gwadar is part of Balochistan and the port city has international significance.
“We have had held many gatherings in Quetta, Turbat and other cities of Balochistan, so why not Gwadar, where local Baloch people are deprived of basic facilities,” she said.
Responding to the government reports of threats to the gathering, Sammi said the state had power and resources, hence the state should protect the people coming to attend a peaceful gathering.
“If the state doesn’t stop Baloch people from coming to Gwadar, we have high expectations that thousands of people would attend this Baloch National Gathering,” she told Arab News.

Topics: Baloch Yakjehti Committee Balochistan province

After court intervention, police lodge case in ‘kidnapping’ of prominent Karachi businessman

Updated 23 min 15 sec ago
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After court intervention, police lodge case in ‘kidnapping’ of prominent Karachi businessman

  • Zulfiqar Ahmed, owner of Paracha Textile Mills and Mezan Group, was abducted from Karachi’s Mauripur area
  • Official says high-powered police teams formed to investigate the matter, hoping that it will be resolved soon
Updated 23 min 15 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Police have registered a case into the “kidnapping” of a prominent Pakistani businessman in Karachi on the intervention of a high court, his lawyer said on Saturday, three days after the incident.
Zulfiqar Ahmed, managing director of Paracha Textile Mills and Mezan Group, was kidnapped from Mauripur Road on July 23 after he left his office in Sher Shah area, according to the police report. A white Toyota Surf vehicle intercepted their car and eight armed men forced Ahmed and his friend, Qaiser, into it before dropping Ahmed’s friend off a short distance away.
Ahmed’s friend informed about the kidnapping his family and the company, which submitted an application in the Kalri police station on the same day. When the police refused to register a complaint, the family requested the Sindh High Court (SHC) to intervene in the matter. Mian Ali Ashfaq, the counsel representing Ahmed and his family, said police registered a case after the court orders.
“The news [of Ahmed’s abduction] somehow gained traction on social media,” Ashfaq told Arab News on Saturday. “After social media spotlight about court order and my protest, my team of office associates went to the police station, where, after four hours, the FIR [First Information Report] was finally registered and a copy was provided to us by Friday afternoon.”
Pakistanis widely shared news about Ahmed’s abduction across social media platforms, calling on authorities to take steps for the release of the businessman, who is also widely regarded for his charity work.
Asad Raza, deputy inspector-general (DIG) of Karachi’s South district where the incident occurred, dismissed the allegations of police inaction in the case and said they had been working on it since it was first reported to them.
“It is insubstantial whether the FIR is registered instantly or after one day’s delay as long as we were working on the case when the abduction took place,” he told Arab News.
Ashfaq, counsel of the Ahmed family, said the SHC had issued notices to respondents and fixed the matter for a hearing on Tuesday. “We hope that Zulfiqar Ahmed will be recovered and reunited with the family before the next hearing,” he added.
On Friday, Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho said two high-powered teams were investigating the case.
“A high-powered team, under the supervision of the DIG of the CIA [Crime Investigation Agency of police] and another under the DIG of the area, are working on it,” Odho told Arab News. “I am confident this case will be resolved soon.”

Topics: Cola Next Zulfiqar Ahmed Karachi Police

Authorities warn of floods, landslides as monsoon currents likely to penetrate parts of Pakistan

Updated 27 July 2024
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Authorities warn of floods, landslides as monsoon currents likely to penetrate parts of Pakistan

  • This year, Pakistan recorded its ‘wettest April since 1961,’ with 59.3mm rainfall and 144 deaths in thunderstorms, house collapses
  • A top UN official last month warned that an estimated 200,000 people in Pakistan could be affected by the upcoming monsoon season
Updated 27 July 2024
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Saturday warned of flash floods and landslides as monsoon currents were likely to penetrate upper parts of the country over the next five days.
The monsoon currents from Arabian Sea may cause heavy rains from July 27 till July 31. Under the influence of this system, rainfall could trigger landslides, mudslides and cause boulders to fall, potentially disrupting roads, according to the NDMA.
The areas that are likely to be affected include upper parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Galiyat, Murree, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. The rainfall can trigger hill torrents in Sulaiman and Kirthar mountain ranges as well as in DG Khan and Rajanpur regions.
“Flash floods can strike suddenly, catching people off guard,” the NDMA said in a statement. “Population at risk is advised to avoid flood waters and find a safe location away from flood-prone areas.”
The authority said it had issued instructions to all relevant departments to take necessary precautions to mitigate the possible effects of flooding and extreme weather.
“Even a mere six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet, and just one foot of moving water can sweep away a vehicle,” the NDMA noted in its advisory for the masses.
“Bridges can be hazardous during floods. Avoid crossing them if water is flowing rapidly. Avoid staying in weak structures. In case of intense rain, seek shelter in safe places such as schools, government buildings, or any concrete buildings.”
Pakistan is recognized as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change effects in the world. This year, the South Asian country recorded its “wettest April since 1961,” with 59.3 millimeters rainfall and at least 144 deaths in thunderstorms and house collapses, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the authorities.
Last month, a UN official warned that an estimated 200,000 people in Pakistan could be affected by the upcoming monsoon season, which is expected to bring heavier rains than usual.
The United Nations, with help from local authorities, has prepared a contingency plan, with $40 million set aside to respond to any emergencies, said Mohamed Yahya, the newly appointed Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan.
Unusually heavy rains in June 2022 triggered flash floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting losses of around $30 billion, and affecting at least 30 million people.

Topics: pakistan monsoon Pakistan Floods

Pakistani religious party vows to continue sit-in in Rawalpindi despite government’s offer for talks

Updated 12 min 21 sec ago
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Pakistani religious party vows to continue sit-in in Rawalpindi despite government’s offer for talks

  • Jamaat-e-Islami supporters have been holding a sit-in at a key intersection in Rawalpindi since Friday
  • The party wants the government to address cost-of-living crisis, remove additional taxes in the budget
Updated 12 min 21 sec ago
Aamir Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Jamat-e-Islami (JI), a Pakistani religio-political party, on Saturday vowed to continue its sit-in in Rawalpindi against the rising cost of living and additional taxes imposed in the latest budget, despite the government forming a negotiation committee for talks with the protesters.
The JI, led by Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, announced the sit-in in Islamabad to call for a reduction in power tariff amid soaring inflation and to review Pakistan’s agreements with independent power producers (IPPs).
The party’s caravans entered the capital from different directions as the district administration closed the capital’s Red Zone, which houses top government offices and the diplomatic enclave, with shipping containers and roads leading to parliament.
“Our dharna will continue as long as the government accepts our demands for a significant reduction in inflation and electricity prices,” Aamir Baloch, a JI spokesperson, told Arab News.
“The party chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman will be announcing a fresh strategy for the protests, dharna and engagement with the government today afternoon.”
The government has formed a three-member committee, which includes Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and two senior members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, to hold talks with the JI leadership.
“We are ready for negotiations, but don’t disrupt public life,” Tarar said at a news conference on Friday. “The government’s three-member committee will talk to you. Amir Muqam, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and I will negotiate with you. Whenever you express willingness, we are ready for the negotiations.”
But Baloch said the party would continue its protest and JI chief Rehman would join the sit-in at Zero Point — a major intersection in the city where various key roads and highways connect with each other — on Saturday.
He said thousands of JI workers had already reached the area, despite the government’s “brutalities.”
“The police have arrested dozens of our peaceful workers from D-Chowk,” he said, referring to a key spot close to the parliament building in Islamabad.
“The government wants to incite the peaceful protesters through such strong-arm tactics. It will be responsible for any law-and-order situation, if our workers are not released immediately.”
Police in the capital have deployed additional contingents, including personnel with riot gears, to prevent any untoward incident.
The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Expressway has also been closed with shipping containers near the Zero Point bridge, where the JI protesters have gathered.
Baloch said the party leadership would announce their future course of action after reaching Zero Point.
“One thing is for sure,” he said. “We are here to stay and will definitely stage a sit-in to press the government to meet our legitimate demands regarding inflation and taxes.”

Topics: jamaat e islami

Protesters in northwest Pakistan end weeklong sit-in after CM assures no military operation being launched

Updated 27 July 2024
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Protesters in northwest Pakistan end weeklong sit-in after CM assures no military operation being launched

  • Pakistan’s government last month announced a new campaign to counter a fresh surge in militancy in areas along the border with Afghanistan
  • The announcement raised fears among locals as past operations displaced hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed livelihoods in region
Updated 27 July 2024
REHMAT MEHSUD

PESHAWAR: Thousands of protesters, who had been staging a sit-in in Pakistan’s Bannu district for a week, on Friday called off their protest after Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur assured them that no military operation was being launched in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
Pakistan’s government last month announced a new campaign to counter a fresh surge in militancy in areas along the border with Afghanistan. Major opposition parties opposed the operation and in Bannu — where eight soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing last week — thousands held rallies to call for peace and security.
One of the key demands of the protesters in Bannu was for the government to not launch any new military operation in the province. They demanded that a spike in militant attacks in the region be tackled by empowering and better equipping civilian agencies like the police and the counter-terrorism department (CTD).
On Friday, CM Gandapur traveled to Bannu where he spoke to the protesters and announced at a rally that all their demands had been accepted in letter and spirit, lauding local elders for helping avert violence when two protesters were killed after gunfire triggered a stampede at the rally on June 19.
“I have a signed copy [of the demands]. It has been done the way you [protesters] wanted,” he told the gathering. “I’m the owner of this soil and land, no one can oppress me or coerce me. As chief minister, I declare that there will be no operation in the province.”
The announcement came a day after the provincial apex committee, which comprises civilian leaders and military commanders in the province, met to discuss the situation in Bannu. The KP government later clarified that police and the CTD would be tasked to take action against militants amid a surge in violence in the area.
The resentment for military operation stems from past displacement of hundreds of thousands of people and destruction of countless homes and businesses in successive military campaigns in KP that began in 2014. But Pakistani military spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry dispelled the fears this week, saying the newly proposed Azm-e-Istehkam campaign was not meant to be a full-scale military operation.
“We have offered sacrifices for our homeland and stood loyal to the country and its people. We left our homes and became nomads for our land and for the sake of peace,” Gandapur said. “We will offer sacrifices again but we will make the decisions ourselves and will not allow anyone to impose their decisions.”
The chief minister appreciated police for taking swift action against illegal armed groups in Bannu.
Provincial Minister for Public Health Engineering Pakhtunyar Khan, who hails from Bannu, said the people of the region had experienced “unspeakable hardships” for the sake of peace.
“We want peace for the entire province and we will not back down from this demand,” Khan said at the rally.
On Thursday, the apex committee said the judiciary would be requested to hold an inquiry into the Bannu shooting incident, a demand that had been put forward by protesters and Pakistan’s opposition alliance.
“Meanwhile, the government will hold its own inquiry and identify the persons responsible,” it said in a statement.

Topics: bannu protest

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