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Pakistan says protests cost $684 million daily as Imran Khan’s supporters march on Islamabad

Pakistan says protests cost $684 million daily as Imran Khan’s supporters march on Islamabad
A police officer walks past a wire laid across a road to prevent an anti-government rally by supporters of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 25, 2024. (REUTERS)
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Updated 25 November 2024
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Pakistan says protests cost $684 million daily as Imran Khan’s supporters march on Islamabad

Pakistan says protests cost $684 million daily as Imran Khan’s supporters march on Islamabad
  • Finance Ministry’s estimates exclude losses from IT, telecom sectors and provincial economies
  • Imran Khan has called for protests demanding his release, with demonstrations also held abroad
Updated 25 November 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance has prepared a report estimating economic losses of Rs190 billion ($684 million) per day due to political protests, Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said on Sunday, as supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan march toward Islamabad to demand his release.
The protest, led by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has effectively cut off the federal capital from other cities, with authorities using shipping containers to seal all entry and exit points and announcing the closure of all educational institutions in Islamabad.




A view of a convoy by supporters of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as they head toward Islamabad, during an anti-government rally in Peshawar, Pakistan, on November 24, 2024. (REUTERS)

The disruption has also impacted small businesses, with slow Internet and telecom services further compounding the economic losses.
“Protests result in a daily loss of Rs190 billion,” the finance minister said in a statement circulated by his office, warning of repercussions for the national economy.
According to the ministry’s report, the GDP suffers a daily loss of Rs144 billion, accounting for the largest share of the economic impact. Additionally, a decline in exports results in a daily loss of Rs26 billion, while disruptions in foreign direct investment contribute Rs3 billion to the daily losses.




Police personnel stand guard at a closed road before a protest by supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for Khan's release in Lahore on November 24, 2024. (AFP)

Losses in the IT and telecom sectors are significant but separate from these figures.
“The federal government’s daily loss is Rs190 billion, while provincial losses are even higher,” Aurangzeb noted, without providing detailed provincial breakdowns.
Khan, who has been incarcerated for over a year on charges he claims are politically motivated, has urged his followers to rally both in Pakistan and abroad.




A worker places shipping containers to close a road ahead of a planned rally by supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 23, 2024. (AP)

PTI supporters in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Spain and Japan have also organized demonstrations, calling for the former prime minister’s release.
As tensions persist, the government remains firm in its resolve to maintain public order, with Finance Minister Aurangzeb stressing that the ongoing unrest is severely undermining the country’s economic recovery efforts.




Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan shout slogans as they take part in a protest rally for the release of their leader Khan, in Peshawar on November 24, 2024. (AN Photo)

 

Topics: PTI protest Islamabad Protest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party Imran Khan

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Pakistan weekly inflation records slight decrease after rising for three consecutive weeks

Pakistan weekly inflation records slight decrease after rising for three consecutive weeks
Updated 04 January 2025
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Pakistan weekly inflation records slight decrease after rising for three consecutive weeks

Pakistan weekly inflation records slight decrease after rising for three consecutive weeks
  • Major decrease observed in prices of tomatoes, electricity, potatoes, eggs, liquefied petroleum gas and wheat flour
  • Pakistan’s annual consumer inflation eased further to 4.1 percent in Dec. 2024, according to the country’s statistics bureau
Updated 04 January 2025
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Short-term inflation, measured by the Sensitive Price Index (SPI), has witnessed a slight decrease in Pakistan, the country’s statistics bureau said this week, after increasing for three weeks in a row.
The SPI, which comprises 51 essential items collected from 50 markets in 17 cities, is computed on a weekly basis to assess the price movement of essential commodities at a shorter interval of time to review the price situation in the country.
The SPI for the week ending on Jan. 2 decreased 0.26 percent on a week-on-week basis, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Weekly inflation last decreased by 0.34 percent in Pakistan in the week ending on Dec. 5.
“During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 18 (35.29 percent) items increased, 10 (19.61 percent) items decreased and 23 (45.10 percent) items remained stable,” the PBS said in its report.
Major decrease was observed in the prices of tomatoes (13.48 percent), electricity charges for Q1 (7.48 percent), potatoes (5.59 percent), eggs (0.23 percent), garlic (0.21 percent), liquefied petroleum gas (0.18 percent) and wheat flour (0.09 percent).
The items whose prices increased during the week included chicken (10.28 percent), onions (4.93 percent), bananas (1.68 percent), diesel (1.18 percent), sugar (0.95 percent), jaggery (0.58 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5 Kg (0.53 percent) and petrol (0.21 percent).
Pakistan’s annual consumer inflation eased further to 4.1 percent in Dec. 2024, according to the PBS. Consumer inflation cooled from 4.9 percent in November, a sharp drop from a multi-decade high of nearly 40 percent in May 2023.

Topics: inflation in Pakistan

Pakistan condemns Israel’s ‘deliberate’ targeting of Gaza hospitals, calls for accountability

Pakistan condemns Israel’s ‘deliberate’ targeting of Gaza hospitals, calls for accountability
Updated 04 January 2025
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Pakistan condemns Israel’s ‘deliberate’ targeting of Gaza hospitals, calls for accountability

Pakistan condemns Israel’s ‘deliberate’ targeting of Gaza hospitals, calls for accountability
  • The statement comes a week after Israeli forces burned Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, forcefully removing patients and staff
  • Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 people and forced hundreds of thousands to migrate since Oct. 2023
Updated 04 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has condemned Israel’s “deliberate” targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, patients and the wounded in Gaza, and called for its accountability over attacks on health infrastructure and other “war crimes,” Pakistani state media reported on Saturday.
The statement came a week after Israeli forces burned Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza and forcefully removed patients and medical staff from the facility, hospital officials said.
In its campaign since Oct. 2023 attacks by Hamas, Israel’s military has targeted hospitals, schools and residential neighborhoods in Gaza, killing more than 45,000 people and forcing hundreds of thousands to migrate, according to Palestinian officials.
“Deliberate targeting of hospitals, medical personnel, patients and the wounded defies every principle of international humanitarian law and has no justification,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, Pakistan’s alternate permanent representative to the United Nations, was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster.
“There must be accountability for such actions and not just condemnation,” he told a UN Security Council session on the collapse of health services in besieged Gaza.
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
The South Asian country has dispatched several relief consignments for Gaza, besides establishing the ‘Prime Minister’s Relief Fund’ that aims to collect public donations for the war-affected people.
Speaking further at the UNSC session, the Pakistani diplomat called for a “decisive action” for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to halt bloodshed and destruction in Gaza and lifting of the enclave’s inhumane blockade to ensure free flow of food, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid for those in desperate need.

Topics: Pakistan at UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad pakistan palestine ties

Protesters block key Pakistan-China trade route over power outages in Gilgit-Baltistan

Protesters block key Pakistan-China trade route over power outages in Gilgit-Baltistan
Updated 04 January 2025
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Protesters block key Pakistan-China trade route over power outages in Gilgit-Baltistan

Protesters block key Pakistan-China trade route over power outages in Gilgit-Baltistan
  • Residents report facing 20-hour outages despite the construction of several power stations
  • Officials say the region relies on hydropower, which is disrupted in winter due to freezing rivers
Updated 04 January 2025
Nisar Ali

KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: A key land route connecting Pakistan and China was blocked indefinitely by angry protesters in northern Gilgit-Baltistan on Friday, as hundreds of them staged sit-ins against prolonged power outages in the region.
The Karakoram Highway (KKH), a vital trade route between the two countries, was obstructed at Ali Abad, a significant point in the Hunza Valley. The area has witnessed a gradual increase in trade activity following an agreement between Pakistan and China to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round to facilitate economic exchanges.
Last month, Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation conducted its first international cargo transportation via the border, moving goods from China to the United Arab Emirates.
“Hunza is experiencing severe power outages,” Zahoor Ilahi, a protest leader from the Awami Workers Party, told Arab News over the phone. “That’s why we have blocked the Karakoram Highway.”
“The highway has been blocked for all kinds of traffic at Ali Abad since afternoon, and we will not end the sit-in until our demands are met,” he added. “The government is not running the thermal station generators, and all parts of Hunza are facing over 20 hours of power crisis.”
Protests were also held in other parts of Hunza, including Sost and Gulmit, with shutter-down strikes observed against the prolonged power crisis.
“There has been no progress in the power sector for the last three to four years in Hunza,” Rehan Shah, a local resident of the area, told Arab News. “The speed of work on the power projects is very slow, and all residents want an uninterrupted supply of electricity.”
Shah said the protests were jointly organized by various political parties and trade associations in the region.
Meanwhile, protests were also observed in other parts of Gilgit-Baltistan, including Danyor in Gilgit city.
Speaking to Arab News, Advocate Ehsan Ali, president of the Awami Action Committee, said that most districts in the region were facing prolonged power cuts.
“The duration of the power crisis in Gilgit city is about 20 hours,” he said. “Skardu is facing 21 to 22 hours of power cuts, and Hunza is also experiencing the same. Similarly, districts like Ghizer and Chilas are also dealing with the worst kind of power outages.”
“Millions of rupees have been spent on power projects, but unfortunately, none are producing enough electricity,” he said. “In the 21st century, electricity is still unavailable here.”
Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, acknowledged the issue but attributed it to technical reasons, saying the region heavily relied on hydropower, which often faced disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes.
“There are 137 power stations in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he told Arab News. “The installed capacity of these power stations is 190 megawatts. However, power generation is 140 megawatts during the summer while 76 megawatts during the winter due to the low flow of water.”
“The residents of Hunza are demanding thermal generators,” he added. “But we can’t run them due to financial reasons. There are many thermal generators in Gilgit, but we can’t fulfill people’s demand due to the high fuel cost.”
Hussain said his department would run the thermal generators to reduce the power crisis if the government decided to release funds.

Topics: Gilgit-Baltistan region Gilgit Baltistan protest karakoram highway

Pakistan’s Saim Ayub ruled out of second South Africa Test after twisting right ankle

Pakistan’s Saim Ayub ruled out of second South Africa Test after twisting right ankle
Updated 04 January 2025
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Pakistan’s Saim Ayub ruled out of second South Africa Test after twisting right ankle

Pakistan’s Saim Ayub ruled out of second South Africa Test after twisting right ankle
  • Ayub fell awkwardly in the outfield and was visibly in lot of pain as he received brief treatment on the ground
  • South Africa dominated the day 1 at Newlands and piled up 316 for four, with Ryan Rickelton hitting 176 not out
Updated 04 January 2025
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan had an injury scare when opening batter Saim Ayub twisted his right ankle on the field on day 1 of the second and final Test against South Africa on Friday.
Ayub fell awkwardly in the outfield and was visibly in lot of pain as he received brief treatment on the ground before he was rushed to a hospital for precautionary scans.
The opening batter has been ruled out of further participation in the second Test, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“Saim underwent X-rays and MRI tests this afternoon and the reports have been sent to specialists in London for further advice on the treatment and time away from competitive cricket,” the PCB said in a statement.
South Africa dominated the day 1 of the second Test at Newlands and piled up 316 for four, with Ryan Rickelton hitting 176 not out. He shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 235 with his captain, Temba Bavuma, who made 106.
South Africa have already sealed a place in June’s World Test Championship final with a dramatic two-wicket win in the first test at Centurion.

Topics: Pakistan vs South Africa Saim Ayub

Pakistan issues 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for Hindu saint’s birth anniversary in Sindh

Pakistan issues 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for Hindu saint’s birth anniversary in Sindh
Updated 03 January 2025
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Pakistan issues 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for Hindu saint’s birth anniversary in Sindh

Pakistan issues 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for Hindu saint’s birth anniversary in Sindh
  • Shiv Avtari Sant Shadaram Sahib was born in 1708 in Lahore, which is now part of Pakistan
  • Pakistani charge d’affaires in India says his country is committed to facilitating devotees
Updated 03 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi announced on Friday the issuance of 94 visas to Indian pilgrims to attend the birth anniversary of a revered 18th-century Hindu spiritual leader in the southern province of Sindh.
Shiv Avtari Sant Shadaram Sahib was born in 1708 in Lahore, now part of Pakistan. Known for his spiritual teachings and emphasis on universal love, he is believed to be an incarnation of Shiva, one of the principal deities in Hinduism, by his followers.
His most notable legacy is the founding of Shadani Darbar, a prominent Hindu temple and spiritual center located in Hayat Pitafi, situated in Ghotki District, which became a pilgrimage destination.
“@PakinIndia has issued 94 visas to Indian pilgrims for their visit to Pakistan to participate in the 316th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Shiv Avtari Stguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh from 05-15 January 2025,” the high commission posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
It mentioned that the Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich wished the pilgrims a “rewarding and fulfilling journey,” emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to preserving sacred religious sites and facilitating pilgrimages.
Religious tourism remains a key aspect of cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan, governed by the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines. This agreement allows devotees from both countries to visit sacred sites, including Hindu temples in Pakistan and Islamic shrines in India. However, political tensions between the two nations have at times disrupted these exchanges, with instances where visas were denied to religious pilgrims.
In recent years, Pakistan has actively promoted religious tourism, welcoming Buddhist monks as well as Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India and across the globe. The inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, which allows visa-free travel for Indian Sikhs to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is a significant milestone in these efforts.
Each year, a large number of Indian Sikhs also travel to Pakistan to pay homage at sacred sites, including Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi in Lahore, the last resting place of the founder of the Sikh Empire, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, revered for its connection to Guru Nanak.

Topics: Pakistan India Indian pilgrims in Pakistan Pakistan High Commission

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