The government of Pakistan on Tuesday received $500 million from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Ministry of Finance announced on Tuesday.
“Government of Pakistan has today received $500 million from AIIB. The funds are deposited with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and will augment our reserves,” the ministry said.
Govt of Pakistan has today received US$ 500 million from Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The funds are deposited with SBP and will augment our reserves. @AIIB_Official@StateBank_Pak@MIshaqDar50
— Ministry of Finance, Government of Pakistan (@Financegovpk) November 29, 2022
The funds by AIIB are crucial for the cash-strapped country, which has seen its foreign exchange reserves dwindle in recent months. The country’s reserves stood at $7.8 billion as of November 18.
“During the week ended on November 18, 2022, SBP’s reserves decreased by $134 million to $7,825.7 million due to external debt repayment,” said the SBP on Friday.
It is important to note that on October 26, 2022, the SBP got $1.5 billion from ADB as a loan disbursement for the government of Pakistan.
An agreement between the ADB and Pakistan was inked last month to offer a $1.5 billion loan for budgetary support as well as assistance with flood-related repair and reconstruction efforts.
The government’s $2.3 billion countercyclical development spending programme, created to lessen the effects of external shocks like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was funded in part by a loan issued under the BRACE Program.
Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Pervaiz Elahi, taking a jibe at the Opposition, said on Tuesday, “No-confidence motion ka jisy shoq hai woh le aye” (whoever wants a no-confidence motion can bring it on).
Talking to a delegation of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) including its Chairman Shakeel Masood Hussain and others, Elahi reiterated that he and his party members were standing with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and that the Punjab Assembly would be dissolved immediately when Khan orders it.
He said that the Opposition can only raise slogans which is not enough for them to bring a no-confidence motion.
The nexus of PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) members in the Punjab Assembly stands at 191. The Opposition is in minority and would remain in minority, he predicted.
“If the assembly is in session, there can be no voting on the no-confidence motion and no vote of confidence. If the assembly is in session, governor’s rule cannot be imposed,” he explained and asserted that everything was being done within the limits of the Constitution and law.
On Monday, the PML-N’s parliamentary party held a meeting in which they decided in principle to use all ‘available tactics’ to prevent PTI’s proposed plan to have the provincial assembly dissolved.
The meeting discussed the prospects of tabling a no-trust move against CM Elahi, imposition of the governor’s rule and the governor seeking a vote of confidence from the CM.
Sindh government on Monday announced launching a mobile application for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening test, Samaa has reported.
Head of Communicable Disease Control Program of Sindh Health Department, Dr Ershad Kazmi, while addressing an awareness session on HIV at Karachi Press Club said that there are some people who want to get tested for HIV but want to keep their identity hidden.
He said that this application is being launched for such individuals to get tested without revealing their identity.
The UNAIDS research estimates that 0.21 million persons in Pakistan are HIV positive.
According to Dr. Ershad, 19,766 of the 90,300 HIV-positive individuals in the country are registered in Sindh and are receiving free medical care from the government.
1,500 transgender people were registered in Sindh through the UNDP HIV Program.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to reduce expenses before talks on the ninth review of a $7 billion loan programme.
Discussions between Pakistan and the IMF are still underway, but no party has reached a broad agreement on a revised macroeconomic framework for the current fiscal year.
According to The News, the ninth review’s conclusion and the distribution of the $1 billion tranche might not happen until the following calendar year 2023 as a result of the ongoing negotiations.
The discussions went on for weeks, but the two parties were unable to agree to begin policy-level discussions to wrap up the approaching ninth review by the end of November.
Although both Pakistan and the international lender are keeping quiet and refusing to make any public statements, rumours in the background indicate that the talks broke down due to disagreements over the revised macroeconomic and fiscal framework that Islamabad had prepared and shared with the IMF.
Pakistan must now put in a lot of effort to finish the review by the first week of December 2022. If the negotiations are successful next month, the IMF will ultimately release the next tranche in January 2023 because the Christmas and New Year holidays start after that date. The Executive Board of the multilateral lender will meet the following year to approve Pakistan’s next tranche.
The News had approached both IMF and Finance Ministry officials to inquire about the exact schedule for the conclusion of the pending review. One close aide of Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar stated that “discussions were going on Zoom. Insha Allah soon (the review will be concluded).”
The new macroeconomic and fiscal framework for 2022–23 is being contested by the IMF because it thinks the goals are unattainable and at odds with actual conditions.
The government anticipated nominal growth in the range of 25 per cent, with real GDP growth of 2 per cent and an average inflation rate of 23 per cent, however, the other numbers did not line up with the revised nominal growth estimates.
The government has not revised the $7.47 trillion yearly objective set by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The IMF, however, thinks that the reduction of imports may result in a shortfall for the tax collector. Second, assuming FBR met its goal, the tax-to-GDP ratio would decline even lower because it did not equal the nominal growth statistics of 25 per cent. Third, the aim of Rs2 trillion in non-tax revenue also might not be met.
The government had set a target of Rs855 billion before the next budget, therefore the IMF highlighted that the petroleum development levy may not completely materialise. Because the government was unable to impose a fee of Rs50 per litre on diesel and because the consumption of petroleum products fell by 21 per cent, the levy target may now be reduced downward to Rs500 billion.
Another obstacle to reaching agreement was the government’s failure to pass legislation and reforms to the energy industry.
Given that the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) reserves currently stand at $7.8 billion, the delay in finalising the IMF agreement could exacerbate the economic problems already plaguing the nation.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, held a meeting with Deputy PM of Interim Afghan Govt. Abdul Salam Hanafi. Bilateral trade, connectivity & people-to-people contacts were discussed during the meeting.
In the meeting matters of bilateral importance focused on political consultations between the two governments.
MoS @HinaRKhar held meeting with the Deputy PM of Interim Afghan Govt. Abdul Salam Hanafi. Minister for Mines & Petroleum Shahabuddin Delawar was also present. Bilateral trade, connectivity & people-to-people contacts were discussed#MoSinKabulpic.twitter.com/iHGNFhVDuE
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 29, 2022
She also held a meeting with Women Chamber of Commerce. During the meeting Pakistan expressed a keen interest in strengthening linkages between women entrepreneurs of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
MOS @HinaRKhar in meeting with Women Chamber of Comm.: -Underlined imp. role of women in society -Expressed ’s keen interest in strengthening linkages b/w women entrepreneurs of & -Announced to give preference to import of products by women run businesses#MoSinKabulpic.twitter.com/WDAfrHjF1v
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 29, 2022
This visit is being perceived as important because it is led by a female minister and that this is a top Pakistani official’s first visit since the April government transition.
Actor Osman Khalid Butt is always advocating for relevant topics, especially women rights and misogyny. The Baaji star came under scrutiny post his performance at LSA’22, where alleged domestic abuser Feroze Khan was awarded in the Best Actor category.
After his performance, he received a hefty amount of criticism for ‘siding with abusers’ about which, he has released a statement today that clears the air about his stance. He stated that he was contacted more than a week before the ceremony to perform and co-host a segment. At that time, nominations weren’t announced.
In response to those who still have questions, and those who passed judgment. Here’s what happened. pic.twitter.com/0rjwkHtHkd
‘My only reservation, which I made clear before agreeing was that I could not attend, let alone perform at the ceremony if Feroze was present there (which has nothing to do with his acting prowess, and everything to do with the very serious allegations levied by his ex-wife), and I was assured that he would not. That commitment was honored.” He wrote.
He further elaborated that he got his hosting segment freed of ‘controversial nominations’.
‘I will continue to raise my voice: feminism is not a brand I wear, it is ingrained in my very being.’ He concluded.
Earlier this year Osman clapped back to an age-shaming troll on his Instagram handle. The netizen took a dig at the Chupke Chupke star by stating that he has started to look like an “uncle.”
The Diyar-e-Dil hero replied by saying, “Catching up to you, aren’t I?”.
Last year, Butt shared a comment by Zahid Ahmed in which the latter said that Pakistani television is okay with showing violence but not intimacy, Butt received a message from a social media user who alleged that the actors use this as a “pathetic excuse to get physical with female actors”.
“We can slap women on TV but can’t show intimacy,” Zahid had said in a recent interview. Osman shared his colleague’s statement with the caption: “Strange indeed.”
Replying to Butt’s story, an Instagram user messaged: “Just a pathetic excuse to get physical with female actors. Not to mention the influence it has on society and especially on young children and teens.”
Instead of ignoring the comment, Osman decided to school the troll explaining that “intimacy is just not sex”.
“Yeah so reactions like this are wholly predictable,” said Butt.
Elaborating further, the actor said: “First off: intimacy is not just sex. Secondly, I’d rather my child see a healthy intimate relationship between fictional spouses than, you know, physical abuse being normalized.”
“The nerve to talk about ‘influence’,” he concluded.
In a separate interview, while sharing where the desire to speak about women-related issues comes from Butt said: “Artists have a responsibility [to speak out] because art is very socially relevant, and I think good art creates empathy and empathy is required to bring [social] change.”
Pakistan Army’s change of command ceremony will be held tomorrow (Tuesday), military’s media-wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed on Monday, marking the time-honoured tradition that symbolises the seamless transition of military leadership.
Outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa will hand over the “baton of command” to General Asim Munir, who was selected to become the new army chief by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on November 24.
General Asim Munir will be the 17th army chief to assume the command of the Pakistan Army.
Former military leadership will also participate in the function at General HeadQuaters (GHQ).
General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on President Arif Alvi to for his farewell as the 16th COAS at the President’s House.
Chief of the Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, paid a farewell call on President Dr. Arif Alvi, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, Islamabad. pic.twitter.com/ELEp34UcOL
Later in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the COAS in his office for the farewell visit before hosting a luncheon in his honour.
وزیراعظم شہباز شریف سے آرمی چیف جنرل قمر جاوید باجوہ کی الوداعی ملاقات ۔۔۔ پاک فوج ، ملکی دفاع اور قومی مفادات کے لئے خدمات کی تعریف ۔۔۔ 1/2@CMShehbazpic.twitter.com/UkgC8Oq0RJ
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has announced that the former ruling party will decide on the matter of dissolution of the assemblies today in the presence of senior leadership.
Chaudhry explained in a tweet, stating that the party’s senior leadership will be meeting on Monday. “In this meeting, the date of dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly, and resignation from the Sindh and Balochistan Assembly will be considered.”
تحریک انصاف کی سینئر لیڈرشپ کا اجلاس آج طلب کر لیا گیا ہے، اس اجلاس میں پنجاب اور خیبر پختونخواہ اسمبلی تحلیل کرنے،سندہ اور بلوچستان اسمبلی سے مستعفیٓ ہونے کی تاریخ پر غور کیا جائیگا،ان فیصلوں سے پاکستان کی 64 فیصد نشستیں خالی ہو جائیں گی اور عام انتکابات کی راہ ہموار ہو گی
The former minister added with these decisions, 64 per cent of seats in all assemblies would be “vacant and will pave the way for general elections”.
On Saturday, party chief Imran Khan, addressing a charged crowd in Rehmanabad, said that PTI wouldn’t be part of “this system” and would quit all the assemblies.
Khan said that he would announce the exact date in the next few days.
It is pertinent to mention that Khan’s PTI is in power in Punjab, KP, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Following the announcement, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi showed support for Khan’s decision.
In a video message on Sunday, he said, “When Imran tells me to dissolve the assemblies, I won’t even wait half a minute,” Elahi said, adding that “PM Shehbaz Sharif’s 27km-long [federal] government won’t even last for 27 hours.”
پنجاب حکومت عمران خان کی امانت ہے۔ ہم وضع دار لوگ ہیں جس کے ساتھ چلتے ہیں اس کا ساتھ نہیں چھوڑتے۔ اسمبلیوں سے جب استعفے دئیے تو شہباز شریف کی 27 کلومیٹر کی حکومت 27 گھنٹے بھی نہیں چل سکے گی۔ عمران خان اسمبلیاں تو ڑنے کا کہیں گے تو ایک منٹ کی دیر نہیں ہوگی۔ #ImranKhan#Punjabpic.twitter.com/xHDHATucxJ
The outgoing Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, has addressed the backlash he and his institute have faced in recent months in a rare interview.
Talking to the United Arab Emirates based Gulf News, General Bajwa said that the army’s decision to become apolitical is “being viewed as negative by a segment of society and led to personal criticism”. However, he doubled down on the decision, emphasizing that restricting the armed forces to it’s mandated constitutional role will, “facilitate in reinvigorating and strengthening democratic culture, assist in supporting state organs to effectively perform and deliver. Above all, this decision will help enhance army’s prestige in the long term.”
General Bajwa, who has less than two days left in his tenure, stated that he felt it prudent to “shield Pakistan Army from the vagaries of politics in Pakistan,” adding that public support for the institution goes down when the military is seen to be involved in political affairs.
Without naming either Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or its Chairman Imran Khan, who has criticized the army for becoming “neutral,” General Bajwa again talked about the “undue vilification” of the army. “Despite some criticism and undue vilification of the armed forces through mass propaganda and meticulously crafted false narratives, the institutional resolve to remain apolitical will remain steadfast,” he told Gulf News.
Talking about Pakistan’s relations with Middle Eastern countries, the COAS predicted that the country will have a “robust and broad-based” relationship with Arab nations.
The army chief also discussed the challenges that Pakistan faces, citing it’s “delicate position” in balancing it’s relationships with both all-weather friend China and the West. General Bajwa also cited the western border with Afghanistan as “volatile” but added that the violence has reduced after US withdrawal and provided a “modicum of stability”.
However the COAS also mentioned “economic frailty” as a major challenge, remarking that it tends to “exacerbate other issues concerning human security such as health, education, access to food and clean water, and mitigating threats posed by climate change.”
At the end, the Chief gave out a message to the country’s youth. “The youth must also ensure that they are shielded from divisive propaganda and information warfare that seeks to polarise our society and erode mutual trust. Pakistan should always come first — before any other marker of identity,” he remarked.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has asked real estate magnate Malik Riaz and close aides of PTI Chairman Imran Khan to appear before court on December 1 in a case relating to a £190 million (Rs50 billion) settlement.
According to Profit, the owner of Bahria Town Malik Riaz was asked to appear before a joint investigation team of the anti-corruption watchdog on December 1 at 11 am at the bureau’s Rawalpindi headquarters, according to a NAB letter.
“Call-up notice to the persons acquainted with facts of the case under section 19 of the National Accountability Ordinance-1999, inquiry against holders of public office and others qua misuse of authority, financial gains and criminal breach of trust in recovery of crime proceeds received from the UK and illegal sealing of its record,” the notice stated.
It claimed that Ali Riaz Malik and others had entered into an out-of-court settlement agreement with Britain’s National Crime Agency for the repatriation of funds to the government of Pakistan following an investigation into allegations of abuse of power, financial gain, and criminal breach of trust.
Imran and his wife were accused by Rana Sana Ullah of getting substantial amounts of land from Bahria Town property owners.
Malik Riaz has been demanded to provide full records regarding the acquisition of 458 kanals in Tehsil Sohawa, the agreement by which Bahria Town donated land to Al Qadir Trust along with revenue documents, and information regarding any other property that he or any of his relatives transferred in favour of Al Qadir Trust or any of its trustees.
Unverified reports claim that Imran Khan’s wife serves as one of the trustees. The real estate tycoon was informed that disobeying this notification could result in legal repercussions under NAO 1999.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah revealed a secret arrangement between the NCA and Malik Riaz’s family members (referred to as “the counter parties”) in June of this year.
In order to defend the real estate company in a case involving money laundering, he had charged Imran Khan and his wife of collecting Rs5 billion and hundreds of kanals of land from Bahria Town.
A £190 million settlement offer that includes a UK property, 1 Hyde Park Place, London, W2 2LH, was accepted by the NCA in December 2019. All of the money, which had a value of almost £50 million, ended up in Malik Riaz’s blocked accounts.
