Latest news with #PML(N)
India Today
02-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Anger boils over in POK; thousands block China-Pak highway for 3 days
Thousands of angry residents of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have taken to the streets against the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government, blocking the Karakoram Highway – the crown jewel of the CPEC connecting China and Pakistan – for three days. A leader of Sharif's party said while the establishment was compensating terrorists, it failed to aid blockade of the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan, part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), continued for a third day on Sunday, leading to a complete halt to vehicular traffic on the key and exporters based in Gilgit-Baltistan, backed by political parties, including the ruling PML(N), have been protesting the trade policies of the federal government led by PM Sharif, which they describe as "exploitative" and an "economic murder". The sit-in protest at Gilgit-Baltistan's Gulmat Nagar saw thousands of protesters, from all walks of life, vowing to keep the highway linking Pakistan and China closed to traffic until their demands were met, reported Karachi-based daily protesters were also joined by traders, scholars, and civil society members from Hunza, Gilgit and other adjoining neglect of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by Islamabad has resulted in protests at regular protest comes a month after widespread protests broke out in the Gilgit-Baltistan over a proposed bill that people said would enable land and mineral grabs, and prolonged power outages. Demonstrators denounced what they called the illegal occupation of their lands, chanting slogans like "Kabze par kabza namanzoor" (we reject repeated occupations).advertisementIn October 2023, residents of Gilgit-Baltistan's Skardu district rose in protests demanding the opening of the road to Kargil in India, amid shortages of commodities and inflation in the region. The protests intensified after prominent activist Shabbir Mayyar, who had chanted the slogan "Aar par jod do, Kargil border khol do", was arrested and booked under the anti-terror law, news agency ANI BLOCK PAK-CHINA KARAKORAM HIGHWAYThe protests stem from the suspension of customs clearance for imported consignments from China at Sost Dry Port, which has remained closed for the past six to the protesting traders, at least 257 consignments have been stuck at the port since December, leading to massive financial losses due to expired goods, daily port charges, and other argue that the suspension of clearance has crippled their businesses. They are demanding immediate clearance of the stranded goods through a one-time amnesty scheme, saying they can no longer bear the accumulating protest was called by the Pak-China Traders Action Committee, a banner comprising the Gilgit-Baltistan Importers and Exporters Association, the Nagar Chamber of Commerce, and small trade associations from Nagar, Hunza, and the launch of the indefinite blockade on Friday, thousands of passengers and tourists remain stranded on the Karakoram Highway, with long queues of vehicles stretching on both sides on Sunday, according to the Dawn also chanted slogans against Pakistan Customs and the Gilgit-Baltistan administration, which is controlled by leaders of Imran Khan's protesters highlighted that Gilgit-Baltistan lacked industrial and private sector job opportunities. They noted that trade between Pakistan and China was the primary source of income for the local protesters said the policies of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Customs Department have "economically murdered" the locals, leaving transporters, shopkeepers, labourers, customs clearance agents, hotel owners, and small businessmen jobless for months, as they rely on trade with local PTI leaders met protesters and tried to persuade them to end the protest, but their attempts failed. The government delegations told the protesters that their demands were "genuine" and supported by the Gilgit-Baltistan LEADER SLAMS PARTY'S SHARIF-LED FEDERAL GOVTA local leader of Prime Minister Sharif's PML(N), Javed Hussain, admitted that the federal government, led by his own party, "wasn't serious about addressing the protesters' demands".Hussain, a former member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, alleged that the region of POK was facing discrimination due to its lack of representation in people have been paying all taxes, yet the FBR is reluctant to clear their consignments. The government of Pakistan even gave amnesty to high-profile terrorists. So, giving a one-time amnesty to clear 250 consignments after paying taxes was not a big demand," Hussain was quoted as saying by Ali Quaid, special assistant to the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, told Dawn that the semi-provincial government lacked the authority to address the protesters' demands, effectively passing the responsibility to the Federal government, led by PM Shehbaz traders and residents have been forced to take to the streets at frequent intervals shows the apathy and repression in POK by the occupational Islamabad-Rawalpindi establishment.
India Today
26-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
On debt bed, Pakistan to hike defence budget amid India's Operation Sindoor
Despite grappling with a deepening financial crisis that is pushing it at bailout mercies, Pakistan has confirmed that it is preparing to increase its defence spending in the next fiscal year, beginning in July. The increase is likely to be announced as the budget is presented on June 2. This comes even as Pakistan reels from military setbacks from India's Operation Sindoor, and the allocation of more funds to the military comes despite Pakistan's dire economic situation. Only last week, the IMF approved a loan tranche of $1 billion (around Rs 8,500 crore). The country is burdened with over $22 billion in external IMF loan made Pakistan the fourth-largest borrower of the multilateral financial body. Pakistan's Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, on Saturday confirmed that the federal government would raise its defence budget for the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year, citing the recent military escalation with India and New Delhi's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as key factors behind the decision, reported Karachi-based newspaper said there was no pressure from the IMF in shaping or finalising the federal announcement came just weeks after Pakistan's federal government, led by the PML(N), reportedly approved an 18% hike in defence expenditure, raising the allocation to over Rs 2.5 trillion in the upcoming budget. It, too, cited the escalation in tensions with India as a key reason for the defence budget SPENDING RISES EVEN AS PAKISTAN'S ECONOMY BLEEDSadvertisementThe increased defence spending amid economic fragility in Pakistan has always been the subject of reliance on bailouts and foreign aid continues to empower its military establishment, even as critical sectors like education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation remain reflects a deeper paradox of elite-driven economic decision-making, where national priorities are often shaped by security concerns over social welfare, according to Soumya Bhowmick, a Fellow at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF).Pakistani economic journalist Afshan Subohi, in her May 19 column in Dawn, questioned who would bear the cost of the defence hike in a cash-strapped economy. The piece was published after the federal government signalled it would raise the defence budget by 18%."The current tense regional environment likely underpins the government's proposal, endorsed by its largest coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples' Party, to raise the defence budget by 18 per cent for the next fiscal year. The critical question for a resource-constrained country, however, remains: who will pay for it?" asked in June 2024, Pakistan's defence forces got a nearly 17.6% budgetary hike, amounting to Rs 2.12 trillion (PKR)."Pakistan's tax revenues are relatively modest, but its defense spending is massive, largely because the military is the country's de facto ruler. A bankrupt Pakistan is already receiving one IMF bailout and is seeking another, yet it unveils a 17.6% rise in its big defence budget," geostrategist and academic Brahma Chellaney wrote on X in June PAKISTAN TO HIKE DEFENCE SPENDING AMID TENSIONS WITH INDIAadvertisementIslamabad's announcement of an increase in its defence budget follows India's Operation Sindoor, in which Indian forces targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), after the April 22 Pahalgam Sindoor successfully destroyed nine terrorist camps linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists, including high-value targets like Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf advanced airpower, with precision strikes in a 25-minute operation, exposed gaps in Pakistan's air defence targeting of military and civilian areas made Indian armed forces retaliate by striking key military installations in Pakistan and cripple its air Pakistan's drone and missile attacks on Indian civilian and military infrastructure, Indian air defence systems effectively neutralised Pakistani strikes. Moreover, Indian forces hit key military infrastructure, like airbases at Noor Khan and Rahimyar Khan, where its technological superiority and strategic restraint were on heightened military tensions in the lead-up to India's Operation Sindoor, Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported in early May that the government was weighing additional hikes to the proposed defence budget to counter "Indian aggression" and boost investment in indigenous research and in response, raised concerns about Pakistan's fiscal priorities, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri urging the IMF to reconsider its bailout packages due to the potential misuse of funds for military SPENDING BAILOUT MONEY ON DEFENCE AMID CASH CRUNCHPakistan's reliance on IMF bailouts, 25 loans since 1950, including four in the last five years, reveals its chronic economic instability. Pakistan's loans from the IMF alone stood at $6.2 billion as of March 31, 2025, according to the despite this cash crunch, Pakistan's civilian regime, whose reins lie in the hands of the military, is prioritising defence spending, which already accounts for nearly 18% of the federal the IMF warned that tensions with India could jeopardise Pakistan's fiscal and reform goals, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb claimed that the recent escalation with India would have "minimal fiscal impact" and could be accommodated within the current fiscal choosing to prioritise defence spending amid economic freefall, Pakistan is once again leaning into its military-first doctrine, despite the long-term risks to its economic recovery and human Watch
Gulf News
04-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Pakistan: Free housing land offered in Punjab, who can apply
Dubai: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched the 'Apni Zameen Apna Ghar' (my land, my home) scheme, an ambitious housing initiative offering free residential plots and construction support to the province's poorest residents. The first phase, already underway, will distribute 1,892 plots across 23 government-backed housing schemes in 19 districts, with additional phases to follow. The move aims to tackle homelessness and uplift the lives of low-income families. The program offers free 3-marla (675 sq. ft.) plots to eligible low-income residents, along with access to interest-free construction loans through a companion scheme titled 'Apni Chhat Apna Ghar' (My shelter, may home) Speaking at the official inauguration of the scheme's e-portal ( on Saturday, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz shared that 2,000 plots will be allotted in the initial phase across 19 districts in Punjab. 'This programme is very close to my heart. It fulfills the vision of PML (N) leader Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, who is always pleased to hear about homes being built for the poor.' 100,000 homes The initiative, managed by the Punjab Housing & Town Planning Agency (PHATA) under the Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department, aims to construct 100,000 homes in 4.5 years, targeting both impoverished and middle-income families. Key Features of the Scheme Free 3-Marla (675 sq. ft ) plots for eligible families across Punjab. Interest-free loans up to Rs1.5 million, repayable over 7 years at Rs14,000/month. Priority to widows, orphans, differently-abled persons, and laborers. Transparent balloting monitored by 8-member district-level oversight committees. Zero application fee to ensure accessibility and eliminate exploitation. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must: Be permanent residents of Punjab Apply only within their home district Own no property in Pakistan (including spouse/dependents) Be registered with NSER with a PMT score ≤ 60 Have a household income under Rs50,000 Be at least 18 years old (married applicants prioritised). Have no criminal record or loan defaults. Be the verified head of a nuclear family. How to Apply Online Apni Zameen Apna Ghar: Apni Chhat Apna Ghar (Loan): In person Visit your local Deputy Commissioner's office, where scheme desks will assist with document submission and registration. Loan disbursal & repayment Approved applicants can access a Rs1.5 million interest-free loan for construction, repayable over 7 years with a 3-month grace period. The process includes Plot verification Document submission Departmental validation Staggered disbursal of funds Transparency Each district has an eight-member committee overseeing the allotment process. Applicants must ensure their socio-economic survey is complete via Citizens are warned to avoid scams—no payments are required at any stage. Complaints and misconduct can be reported via: Helpline: 0800-09100 Online: Socio-Economic Impact
