ISLAMABAD, FEB 17 /DNA/ – The recently conducted General Elections in the country has been a step towards promoting democracy. Significant turnout from all segments of society, including both genders, has been acknowledged internationally. Post elections, it is imperative that all stakeholders realise that victory and defeat are inherent aspects of democratic processes.

Parties and individuals who harbor any concerns regarding electoral irregularities are encouraged to pursue legal recourse through the available channels. Pakistan’s legislative, judicial, and executive branches are resilient and stand ready to deliver impartial justice to all.

While peaceful protest and assembly are fundamental rights, any form of agitation, violence, or incitement for vigilantism will not be condoned and law would take its course without any hesitation.

Anarchy and disorder will not be tolerated at this crucial time. This only serves to advance the agenda for hostile forces, both domestic and foreign, to exploit and create grave law and order challenges. The caretaker government implores patience, as political parties engage in consultations to form governments at both the federal and provincial levels, in accordance with democratic traditions and norms. We hope that this process concludes as early as possible with mutual understanding and respect. 

ISLAMABAD, Feb 17 (APP/DNA): President Dr Arif Alvi on Saturday said that no country could aspire to attain progress and prosperity without the participation of its people and Pakistan being the fifth populous country in the world, possessed immense potential to excel in every field of life.

Addressing an awards distribution ceremony of the annual Invitational Golf Tournament held at Margalla Greens Golf Club, the president said that the people were a vital driving force for making contributions to the overall progress of a country.

“About 250 million people of Pakistan with their collective efforts can make a difference; they can transform and rebuild Pakistan by utilizing their potential and intellect,” he observed.
Under the ‘Sports Diplomacy’ initiative, Serena Hotels hosted the tournament in collaboration with the Margalla Greens Golf Club. A number of golfers, diplomats and sports buffs attended the event.

In his address, President Alvi further underscored the significance of promoting active lifestyles and outdoor pursuits, emphasizing the positive impact on national well-being and the betterment of communities.
Congratulating the organizers, he said that the event was enjoyable amidst the natural verdant atmosphere.
He observed that due to the modern lifestyle, people were accustomed to the latest facilities and moving away from hectic physical activities which were not beneficial for health.

The human body responds to different exercises daily and they continue to decline with the passage of age, if no proper physical activity was adopted, he added.
The president further said that during Covid 19, Pakistan emerged as the third most successful performing country in the world due to the collective efforts by all the institutions and compilation of data.
He said that precedent could be taken as a guiding event that could help overcome different issues being faced by the country, adding that about 26 million children were out of school besides, the numerous issues of malnutrition and stunting being faced in the health sector.

The president stressed that Pakistan should also learn from the experiences of different developed countries that wade through diverse challenges.
“Things in Pakistan will turn around, I have firm belief as the people have huge potential,” he opined.
Speaking on the occasion, CEO Serena Hotels Aziz Boolani said that they would continue to utilize sports as a platform to connect with people from different segments of society to foster stronger relationships and cultivate a spirit of teamwork.

In the closing ceremony, the president gave away prizes to the winners and runners-up across all four categories.
Golfers from a diverse range of categories, including diplomatic, government, and armed forces officials, corporations, and women participated in the event.
With approximately 110 golfers in attendance, including a notable contingent of women players, the competition showcased an impressive display of skill and technique across the course.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 17 /DNA/ – The recently conducted General Elections in the country has been a step towards promoting democracy. Significant turnout from all segments of society, including both genders, has been acknowledged internationally. Post elections, it is imperative that all stakeholders realise that victory and defeat are inherent aspects of democratic processes.

Parties and individuals who harbor any concerns regarding electoral irregularities are encouraged to pursue legal recourse through the available channels. Pakistan’s legislative, judicial, and executive branches are resilient and stand ready to deliver impartial justice to all.

While peaceful protest and assembly are fundamental rights, any form of agitation, violence, or incitement for vigilantism will not be condoned and law would take its course without any hesitation.

Anarchy and disorder will not be tolerated at this crucial time. This only serves to advance the agenda for hostile forces, both domestic and foreign, to exploit and create grave law and order challenges.

The caretaker government implores patience, as political parties engage in consultations to form governments at both the federal and provincial levels, in accordance with democratic traditions and norms. We hope that this process concludes as early as possible with mutual understanding and respect.

ISLAMABAD, FEB 17 /DNA/ – An inclusive political economy shall be the top priority of the Pakistan government without any political fiddling by any of the stakeholders. Politicians shall sit in the parliament to do the legislation and ensure its implementation in letter and spirit. Whatever party comes into power shall limit the federal ministries count to ten. The ministers shall pass on the vision and mandate to the teams of the technocrats as they know their job well. The performance of the governments world over depends on the technocrats based on ‘right person for the right job’.

The IMF is not a villain but a fiscal regulator. We need to listen to their proposed measures and take them accordingly. All the political parties and other stakeholders shall come together to handle the budget deficit, increase tax base, to get rid of the subsidies and reduce the state expenses.

Shrinking the bureaucracy and implementation of civil service reforms is a must to reduce burden on the national exchequer. The sluggishness and red-tapism are the hallmark of Pakistan’s bureaucracy. The other one is the politics of agitation that shall come to an end. Public at large shall say no to such protests that are carried out for the vested interests of the political figures. 

The webinar on the subject “The Prospects of Charter of Economy for the new government and the new IMF deal” was organized by the Devcom-Pakistan (Development Communications Network) and DTN. The keynote speakers included former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan and Vice Chancellor Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) Dr. Nadeem ul Haq, and the former Senior Economist at US Treasury Department’s Office of Economic Policy. Others who spoke on the occasion included Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed, political activist Amina Sadaf, Anoosha Iftikhar, Ateeqa Mazhar and Esha Bashir.

Dr. Nasir Khilji said Pakistan is a victim of generosity of friends such as the USA, China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar. Their support has been misunderstood and misused in Pakistan. The country has also been a victim of vested interest of leadership across the board where, in many cases, the integrity lacked and reigned over the motivated objectives. Pakistan is a library of recommendations but no implementation of any proposed frameworks. 

Dr. Khilji said: All the stakeholders of the country have to take the responsibility of inclusive economic reforms and their true implementation. The reforms shall include a comprehensive strategy to handle the budget deficit and reduce the nonproductive and operational costs. Pakistan has to broaden its tax, wipe off subsidies and reduce the financial burden of bureaucracy that produces hurdles only. Some major surgery is required for Pakistan’s entire financial management and governance system. It is not possible without having all the stakeholders on the same page. They have to come on the same page if they care about 250 million people.

Dr. Nadeem ul Haq said: Pakistan is facing the brunt of political immaturity, inefficient governance system, bureaucratic negligence and stagnancy. Public expenses are huge for no output. The economic crisis cannot be addressed without addressing the cartel of banks, stock market malpractices, and the absence of technocrats in the governance decision-making. There is a crisis of social contract and distrust among the politicians and other stakeholders. Pakistan’s economic issues cannot be resolved without a larger consensus on an economic framework. This will not be done by the politicians alone.

Dr Haq said we need to talk about the foundation issues for a larger national interest. Transparent and inclusive deregulation and an open market policy perhaps would help a lot to attract domestic and foreign investment in the soaring infrastructure. He urged to abolish 40 federal ministries which are no longer needed after the 18th amendment, and to limit the federal cabinet to only 10 ministers. Parliamentarians shall work in the house on legislation, and let the relevant technocrats to design and implement the development agenda with the minimalist bureaucratic system. Pakistan cannot overrule the IMF observations and recommendations.

Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed urged the need of civil society observers in the political governance as a watchdog. They should have a role of oversight on the performance of the governance system, and their suggestions and recommendations shall be incorporated into the implementation of policy frameworks.=DNA

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DNA

Lahore – Raising serious concern over the constant falling trend of Pakistan exports the Ferozepur Road Industrial Association (FRIA) has said that the country’s exports declined by around 2.99 percent during the first seven months of July-Jan of the current fiscal year and stood at $9.738 billion compared to $10.038 billion during the same period of 2022-23.

The FRIA Senior vice chairman and PIAF EC member Shahbaz Aslam advocated the need for raising the country’s export base so that tax-to-GDP ratio improves from current poor level. He urged the trade officers to explore opportunities to diversify exports of goods and services in their respective areas, asking them to meet the challenges faced by Pakistan in European markets. He also suggested the ministry to devise strategies for promotion of Pakistani products, calling upon trade officers to take advantage of opportunities offered by China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Shahbaz Aslam said that the country’s overall exports during July-January 2023-24 totaled $17.778 billion (provisional) against $16.481 billion during the corresponding period of last year showing an increase of 7.87 percent.

The exports in January 2024 were $2.792 billion (provisional) as compared to $2.822 billion in December 2023 showing a decrease of 1.06per cent over December 2023 but increased by 24.81 percent as compared to $2.237 billion in January 2023. The data on exports and imports released by PBS revealed that on a month-on-month basis, textile exports registered 3.98per cent growth in January 2024 and stood at $1.455 billion compared to $1.399 billion in December 2023.

On a year-on-year basis, textile exports increased by 10.10 per cent in January 2024 when compared to $1.321 billion in Jan 2023.

Cotton yarn exports increased by 49.04per cent during the first seven months of the current fiscal year as it stood at $669.824 million compared to $449.418 million during the same period of the last fiscal year.

On a year-on-year basis, cotton yarn exports registered 19.78per cent growth and stood at $81.295 million when compared to $67.873 million in January 2023, while on a MoM basis, it registered 14.65 per cent negative growth when compared to $95.252 million in December 2023.

Rice exports increased by 95.26 per cent during the first seven months of the current fiscal year and stood at $2.115 billion when compared to $1.083billion during the same period of the last fiscal year.

Food group exports increased by 57.66per cent during the first seven months of the current fiscal year and stood at $4.267 billion when compared to $2.706 billion during the same period of the last fiscal year.

The main commodities of exports during January 2024 were rice others (Rs108,803 million),knitwear (Rs102,331 million), readymade garments (Rs93,462 million), bed wear (Rs70,662 million),cotton cloth (Rs44,773 million), towels (Rs26,930 million), rice basmati (Rs25,055 million), cotton yarn(Rs22,789 million), vegetables (Rs20,449 million), and petroleum products (Rs19,362 million).

Shahbaz Aslam said that Pakistan has remained a potential market for foreign investors, who still have plans to make fresh investment in the country, but they have continued to wait for the return of economic stability. He highlighted uncertainty in the rupee-dollar parity as one of the major concerns of foreign investors. He said a slowdown in the economy had badly impacted business confidence. It is must for the authorities concerned to first create an enabling environment for the local businessmen desiring to make new investment.

Pakistan’s score on Democracy Index fell by 0.88 to 3.25, resulting in fall of 11 places in global ranking table

DNA

LONDON: Pakistan has been downgraded to an “authoritarian regime” in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index 2023 report, registering the greatest deterioration of any country in the region classified as “Australia and Asia”.

The EIU Democracy Index provides a snapshot of the state of democracy in 165 independent states and two territories.

Of the 28 countries in the region that are included in the index, 15 recorded a decline in their score and only eight registered an improvement.

Pakistan’s score on the Democracy Index fell by 0.88 to 3.25, resulting in a fall of 11 places in the global ranking table, to 118th.

The EIU report mentioned that alongside meddling in the electoral process and government dysfunction, the independence of the judiciary has been severely curtailed in the country.

Pakistan is the only Asian country to be downgraded, having been reclassified from a “hybrid regime” to an “authoritarian regime”.

Pakistan’s score on the democracy index remained a little over 4 since 2008. It was for the first in 2023 that the country’s score tumbled to 3.25 during the coalition government primarily comprising of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamait Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F).  

Interestingly, Pakistan’s 2023 score on the democracy index is even worse than 2006 (3.92) when military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf was at the helm of the affairs. 

Speaking to Geo.tv, Pakistan Institue of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) Ahmed Bilal Mehboob termed Pakistan’s downgrading as “disappointing”.

“This is a very disappointing development as Pakistan has scored the lowest since 2017 and our category has also been downgraded from a hybrid regime’ to an authoritarian regime,” he added.

He also urged all stakeholders to “undertake serious soul searching at this state of affairs”.

Democratic standards across the world fell in 2023 amid the spread of wars, authoritarian crackdowns and declining levels of trust in mainstream political parties, the EIU said.

The number of countries classified as democracies increased by two, to 74, in 2023. However, measured by other metrics, the year was not an auspicious one for democracy, as per the report.

DNA

Karachi – The Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the United States Mission in Pakistan Andrew Schofer reinforced U.S. efforts to promote democracy, economic growth, and women’s economic empowerment, and to further strengthen ties with the people of Pakistan during his visit to Karachi February 13-16.

“We are committed to deepening our partnership with Pakistan and working together on our shared priorities that promote democracy, inclusive economic growth, and stability in the region. This visit to Karachi is the reflection of our commitment to our continued engagement with diverse stakeholders and reinforcing our bilateral ties,” said DCM Schofer.

DCM Schofer stated the United States demonstrated its support for the people of Sindh during the time of climate disaster and post floods recovery efforts by extending over $215 million in support for Sindh since 2022. With a focus on education, clean water, malnutrition, and healthcare, the United States has been actively engaged in supporting the people of Sindh in their efforts to recover from the floods and build disaster resilience.

Underscoring the U.S. commitment to promote women’s entrepreneurship, DCM Schofer visited the USAID-supported Terry Tex International company in Karachi, an example of how USAID’s support can empower local businesses to expand their horizons.

Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Schofer’s visit to the Lincoln Corner at the Pakistan American Cultural Center brought together dynamic youth leaders, providing them with a unique platform for discussion.

During his visit, DCM Schofer seized the opportunity to meet with private sector and civil society leaders across various sectors, including finance, pharmaceuticals, and textiles. These dialogues reinforced the importance of inclusive private sector-led growth, trade, and investment between Pakistan and the United States.

DCM Schofer’s visit also underscored the United States’ commitment to addressing the challenges faced by Afghan refugees and vulnerable religious minorities in Pakistan. During his trip to Karachi, Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer met UNHCR officials and discussed pressing issues facing Afghan refugees, showcasing a commitment to humanitarian aid and support. The DCM’s meeting with religious minorities was marked by a special interaction with the Parsi community in Karachi. This event served as a valuable opportunity for DCM Schofer to gain a deeper understanding of Karachi’s diverse religious and cultural fabric, fostering greater harmony and appreciation among its inhabitants.