Author: Arif ArifArman

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The power sector of Pakistan continues to crumble under the ever increasing burden of Chinese debt. Islamabad attributes the mountainous debt to the faulty power purchase agreements (PPAs) it signed with the Chinese companies. According to recent estimates in Pak media, the country owes PKR 350 billion (around $1.27 billion) to the Chinese independent power producers (IPPs) and the liability has become a sore point in the bilateral relations. Further, the issue is being regularly raised in Pakistan’s negotiations with multilateral lenders, casting a shadow over the fiscal health of the country. The liability and its potential impact…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Pakistan’s top military brass Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday extended “diplomatic, moral and political support of the Pakistani nation” to Palestinians, reported The Express Tribune. They further expressed deep concern about the latest developments in the Gaza-Israel conflict as human cost has been imposed on innocent civilians due to Israel’s attack. They condemned the attack during the 260th Corps Commanders’ Conference held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) Rawalpindi, where, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir extended diplomatic and political support of Pakistan to Palestine. According to the latest update, the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In July 2023, after its worst-ever crisis, IMF credited Pakistan’s economy with yet another aid of $3 billion, making it the fourth heavily indebted nation by the Fund. Given the scenario, experts fear that the band-aid solution will only provide short-term relief to the economy unless large-scale reforms are implemented. On the one hand, policy pundits and academicians have been beating the drums in unison, lamenting the inefficacy of foreign aid to Pakistan for over a decade. On the other hand, its leaders have been actively soliciting and lobbying to receive their regular aid. The empirical evidence suggests…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Chinese civil servants and employees of state-linked enterprises are facing tighter constraints on private travel abroad and scrutiny of their foreign connections, according to official notices and more than a dozen people familiar with the matter, as Beijing wages a campaign against foreign influence. Ten current and former employees told Reuters the curbs had been widened since 2021 to include bans on overseas travel, tighter limits on trips’ frequency and duration, onerous approval processes, and pre-departure confidentiality training. They said the measures were unrelated to Covid-19. The individuals’ accounts varied but were consistent in describing heightened scrutiny of…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Australian journalist Cheng Lei, freed last week after three years detained in Beijing, said in her first interview with news channel Sky News Australia that she alternated between feeling “very fragile” like a newborn and feeling like she could fly. Cheng returned home last Wednesday and was reunited with her children aged 12 and 14 in Melbourne, after being released from a Chinese jail. She was met by Foreign Minister Penny Wong at Melbourne’s airport and welcomed back to Australia in a telephone call from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had raised her case with Chinese president Xi…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: UN human rights experts on Tuesday called on Pakistan to refrain from deporting Afghan nationals after Islamabad ordered all illegal immigrants, including 1.73 million Afghan citizens, to leave or face expulsion. Pakistani authorities, who have given illegal immigrants until Nov. 1 to leave, linked the measures to their allegations that Afghan nationals were involved in several suicide bombings this year. “We urge Pakistan to uphold the absolute and non-derogable principle of non-refoulement and prevent collective expulsion and forced return,” the experts, a group of UN special rapporteurs, said in a statement. “The lack of domestic asylum laws and…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Continuing the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan, officials in Balochistan province have stated that 5,000 Afghan migrants returned to Afghanistan in the last 15 days. Pakistani media reported on Sunday that these migrants have returned to their country through the Chaman-Spin Boldak border crossing. Afghan refugees in Pakistan are alleging that the Pakistani army is destroying their homes to force them to leave the country. These long-term residents are now turning to refugee advocates for help. Haji Nazar, a Pakistani-based Afghan refugee, stated, “In the last two days, Afghan family camps have been brutally demolished, seemingly without…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Nestled amidst the towering peaks of the Himalayas is an age-old, unbreakable bond between two nations, Bhutan and India, one deeply rooted in spirituality, The Bhutan Live reported. This enduring connection has recently come to the forefront with a delegation of senior monks from Bhutan’s Central Monastic Body (CMB), led by Tshogi Lopen Sangay Khandu, currently on a visit to India, exploring the cultural and spiritual treasures of Delhi and Ladakh. The spiritual relationship between Bhutan and India traces its origins to the teachings of the great Buddhist master, Guru Padmasambhava, affectionately known as Guru Rimpoche in Bhutan,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: On a sweltering June morning, the new international terminal at the airport in Pokhara, Nepal’s second-biggest city, roared to life with the arrival of a Sichuan Airlines flight from China. A water cannon showered the plane, an Airbus A319, the first international flight to land at the airport since it had opened six months earlier. A throng of people gathered in the arrival area to greet the passengers, wishing them a “hearty welcome” to “the Land of Everest” with their signs. These maiden arrivals were athletes and Chinese officials who had come for a good-will dragon boat race.…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The former chairman of the Bank of China has been arrested over suspicions of bribery and giving illegal loans. Liu Liange, chairman of the state-owned bank from 2019 to 2023, had resigned from his position in March this year. Weeks later, authorities announced Mr Liu was facing corruption charges. The 62-year-old is one of the most senior bankers to be ensnared in President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption probe into China’s $60 trillion (£49 trillion) financial sector. The push to weed out corruption from the country’s financial industry appears to be ramping up, with officials in April warning that the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The steady deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations over the past year and a half can be traced to the repeated clashes involving the Taliban and the Pakistani military on the Durand Line. The state of the relationship between the two countries is in marked contrast to the expectation prevalent in the Pakistani defense establishment two years ago. The civil-military leadership in Pakistan was ecstatic when Taliban forces took over Kabul and the rest of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. Many Pakistani leaders and strategic analysts assumed that the advent of Taliban rule would prove to be geopolitically advantageous. However,…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: In 2022, Pakistan and Sri Lanka faced severe economic crises, but their responses and outcomes diverged significantly. Sri Lanka swiftly embarked on a path to a slow yet steady recovery. In contrast, Pakistan’s economic concerns persist, with double-digit inflation, food shortages, mounting foreign debts, excessive defense spending, corruption, external instability, and climate-related shocks. The rapid depreciation of the Pakistani rupee has compounded its economic troubles, including increased fuel import costs. As of July 2023, Pakistan grappled with an alarming inflation rate of 28.3 percent, accompanied by socio-political instability, and it faced the risk of defaulting on its external…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Over 18,000 criminal cases are pending in the Islamabad court, with a majority of the suspects going scot-free as a result of archaic laws, weak prosecution, and flawed investigation, reported Pakistan-based Dawn. According to the statistics provided by the court, 9369 criminal cases are pending with the Sessions Division (West) of Islamabad whereas the total pendency of Sessions Division East is 8,660. Additionally, the total number of pending cases in Islamabad has surged to a total of 18,029. In 2023, the sessions court convicted suspects in 1143 cases, however, in 661 cases the convicts got acquitted through appellate…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The port city of Pakistan, Gwadar, faced a severe drinking water shortage as citizens announced a complete shutdown to draw attention to the current situation, The Nation reported on Sunday. The water crisis has highlighted the city’s incapability to face such essential shortages. The Nation reported, that for an entire week, Gwadar residents have grappled with a water crisis, and their cries for help seemed to fall on deaf ears. The shutter-down strike, called for by the Citizen Committee Gwadar, led to the closure of businesses, shops, and banks. This drastic measure was the last resort for a…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said they have nothing to make any comment like – yes or no – regarding the recommendations made by the US pre-election assessment delegation comprised of representatives from International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI). “They have given their opinion. It’s their opinion. These are nothing different. We don’t think it is very important,” he told reporters while responding to a question. Momen said many foreigners take fun of discussing elections issues and some media also inspire them. He said they are always ready to discuss with all…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Amid a looming financial crisis, Sri Lanka has struck a pivotal agreement with the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of China to manage approximately $4.2 billion of the nation’s mounting debt. The announcement, made by Sri Lanka’s finance ministry on October 12, comes as the country grapples with one of its worst economic crises in history, marked by a critical depletion of foreign exchange reserves. While the exact terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Sri Lankan authorities have expressed their hope that it will offer much-needed fiscal flexibility, enabling the country to advance its ambitious reform program. Sri Lanka’s government…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: For a decade now, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has stood as one of the flagship projects in Beijing’s far-reaching Belt and Road Initiative. Promising much-needed enhancements in transportation, trade, and energy infrastructure, this ambitious venture, primarily financed by Chinese loans and investments, has sought to revamp Pakistan’s economic landscape. The colossal undertaking comes with a substantial price tag, slated to cost upwards of $60 billion. Along its route, small villages like Kanda in the Mala region of Pakistan have witnessed notable transformations. Kanda stretches along a 120-kilometer highway built under the aegis of CPEC. Since the…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The teaching staff in Pakistan’s Attock district are continuing to strike against amendments to pension and leave encashment rules. As a result, students are being greeted with locked doors, Dawn reported. The call for the strike was given by the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) to press for their demands. Locking the doors of their respective educational institutions and offices of the education department, the protesting teachers and staff of the Punjab education department gathered outside the office of the chief executive of the district education authority and staged a sit-in while carrying placards and banners inscribed…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: The Lahore police on Thursday launched a crackdown and arrested more than 230 protesters of the All Government Employees Grand Alliance (AGEGA) Punjab, many of them teachers, who were holding a sit-in outside the Civil Secretariat against the proposed privatisation of public schools, amendments to pension regulations and end of leave encashment, Dawn reported. The alliance launched the protest campaign on Tuesday and blocked the Lower Mall for traffic. The protest turned into a sit-in after the government turned a deaf ear to the protesters’ demands. A total of 34 organisations representing the employees from various Punjab government…

INTERNAIONAL DESK: In today’s fame-driven world, where one’s worth is often measured by their social media followers, Pakistan has emerged as a prominent player with over 72 million internet users. However, this growing access to free social media platforms has brought about significant concerns regarding e-security. Pakistan ranks as the 5th largest mobile phone market in Asia. Internet regulation falls under the jurisdiction of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Data from these authorities highlights alarming issues within our society, ranging from privacy breaches and disagreements to political rivalries, disinformation, and the targeting of religious…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: It’s been almost a decade since China launched the much-hyped China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), but the infrastructure project has failed to offshoot considerable economic growth in cash-strapped Pakistan. A report by DW highlighted the assessments of several experts who have concluded that CPEC’s outcomes in Pakistan have fallen short of expectations Azeem Khalid, a Pakistan-China relations scholar at COMSATS University Islamabad told DW, “The overpromising and underdelivering have remained a crucial factor, coupled with inherent capacity issues, and instability on the political and security fronts”. Khalid said that he believes the tangible benefits of CPEC for the Pakistani…

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Around 1.7 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan face a mass exodus as Islamabad has given them an ultimatum to leave the country by November 1. On October 3, Pakistan’s Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said in a press conference that the government had “given them [Afghan refugees] a November 1 deadline” to leave voluntarily or face “forcible expulsion” after that date. Bugti claimed that some 1.73 million Afghan nationals in the country had allegedly “no legal documents” to stay, adding a total of 4.4 million Afghan refugees lived in Pakistan. The caretaker government in Pakistan decided to take…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said a leather industry development authority will be formed to help thrive the country’s leather and leather goods sector. “I am announcing a leather development authority for the development of the leather industry. We, the Prime Minister’s Office, will form a leather industry development authority separately,” she said. The premier made this announcement while inaugurating the 4th edition of Bangladesh Leather Footwear and Leather Goods International Sourcing Show (BLLISS-2023) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city. But the BLLISS-2023 is being held at International Convention City Bashundhara till Saturday next. Hasina…

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: A visiting team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) held a meeting with the Power Division officials on Thursday. According to official sources, the IMF team came to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and discussed with the senior officials of the Power Division. Senior Secretary Md Habibur Rahman led the Power Division in the meeting. The team from the IMF, led by Rahul Anand, Mission Chief for Bangladesh, arrived in Dhaka on 4 October to discuss the terms of a $4.5 billion loan to Bangladesh. The team is scheduled to leave Bangladesh on October 19…