Here’s what’s happening across the border: Imran Khan urges people to donate money for construction of dams and a doctor becomes new CEO of Pakistan’s national carrier.
Tax payers’ money to be spent on public welfare, claims PTI video
In a two-minute video shared on social media, Imran Khan-led Tehreek-e-Insaf government claims that for the time in Pakistan’s history, a prime minister is leading an austerity drive to “make sure tax payers’ money is spent on public welfare and not on the luxury of rulers”.
The video shows the inside and the surrounding areas of PM’s residence in Islamabad. The narrator in the clip begins by talking about 25 million children who are still out of school, and more than 2 crore people who have no access to clean drinking water.
The video claims the current PM Imran Khan chose not to live in this house as part of his government’s pledge for an austerity drive he announced in his maiden speech after his party won the elections.
For the time in Pakistan's history a Prime Minister is leading the accountability measures from PM's to make sure tax payers money is spent on public welfare and not on the luxury of rulers. #PMAusterityDrive pic.twitter.com/K9i9qX9s6F
— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 6, 2018
The narrator goes on to say that this is the same country where loans are taken to pay off debts. Next, he says, the palace is spread across 1,100 canals of land but adds that this is a punishment that while the ordinary people of Pakistan struggle to live, public taxes were earlier being used to manage the palace.
The narrator then emphasises that the current prime minister will not live in this house.
Two more quit in support of Ahmadi economist Atif Mian
In the wake of Atif R. Mian’s resignation from Pakistan’s Economic Advisory Council Friday, barely a week after it was constituted on 31 August, two more economists have quit in protest against the “unfair decision of dismissing Mian”.
Atif Mian, one of the world’s 25 best economists, who works at Princeton, is an Ahmadiyya Muslim, a community the Pakistani state doesn’t recognise.
Dr Asim Khawaja, who is the professor of international finance and development at the Harvard Kennedy School, announced his resignation Friday through a Twitter message. His saying was that being part of the economic advisory to this country was in its position but certain values had been compromised which he was completely against.
Have resigned from EAC. Painful, deeply sad decision. Grateful for chance to aid analytical reasoning but not when such values compromised. Personally as a Muslim I can't justify this. May Allah forgive/guide me&us all.Ever ready to help.Pakistan Paindabadhttps://t.co/j80LHEhfRK
— Asim Ijaz Khwaja (@aikhwaja) September 7, 2018
Another economist, Dr Imran Rasul, professor of University College London, has quit. In a series of five tweets Rasul expressed his opinion on this entire matter.
In his first tweet he announced his resignation and also said that Mian’s expulsion from the council based on religious grounds was unacceptable to him.
With a heavy heart, I have resigned from the EAC this morning. The circumstances in which Atif was asked to step down are ones I profoundly disagree with. Basing decisions on religious affiliation goes against my principles, or the values I am trying to teach my children. (1/5)
— Imran Rasul (@ImranRasul3) September 8, 2018
His second tweet said the past 10 days showed him ‘the best and worst of Pakistani politics’. The third tweet was about Pakistan benefiting socially and economically only after the macro and ‘fiscal mess’ of the country was resolved.
Dr. Rasul in his fourth tweet stressed that Pakistan needed its leaders to leverage the immense talent pool of its ‘students/academics/orgs/NGOs/civil servants’ for the common good of everybody in the country.
I wish the government and EAC luck in their future work, and remain willing to offer non-partisan, evidence based advice that can help improve economic policy making in the country. (5/5)
— Imran Rasul (@ImranRasul3) September 8, 2018
Meanwhile, Atif Mian said he resigned from EAC “for the sake of the stability of the Government of Pakistan”.
“I have resigned from the Economic Advisory Council, as the Government was facing a lot of adverse pressure regarding my appointment from the Mullahs (Muslim clerics) and their supporters,” he tweeted.
2/ Nevertheless, I will always be ready to serve Pakistan as it is the country in which I was raised and which I love a great deal. Serving my country is an inherent part of my faith and will always be my heartfelt desire.
— Atif Mian (@AtifRMian) September 7, 2018
3/ Moving forward, I now hope and pray that the Economic Advisory Council is able to fulfill its mandate in the very best way so that the Pakistani people and nation can prosper and flourish.
— Atif Mian (@AtifRMian) September 7, 2018
4/ My prayers will always be with Pakistan and I will always be ready to help it in any way that is required.
— Atif Mian (@AtifRMian) September 7, 2018
Interesting tweets of the day
An anonymous Twitter user Jungjoo Gernail, has once again taken a jibe at Pakistan army and Prime Minister Imran Khan. Khan had Friday asked overseas Pakistanis as well as people to contribute to the construction of dams.
Condemning the act, Jungjoo Gernail tweeted that army allegedly never give, they only take money from civilians.
https://twitter.com/GernailSaheb/status/1038179575568760832
Committee to Protect Journalists is a body that protects journalists worldwide. The committee’s Asia wing has claimed that “slowly” journalism is ending in Pakistan.
"Slowly, journalism is dying out in Pakistan."
CPJ's report, "Acts of Intimidation," on the state of press freedom in #Pakistan will be available on September 12. To request an embargoed copy or to arrange an interview, email press@cpj.org#EndIntimidationPakistan pic.twitter.com/7TgQBIBj4j
— CPJ Asia (@CPJAsia) September 7, 2018
After chief justice, it’s Imran Khan who is asking for funds to build dams
After Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar’s insistence on donating money for the construction of dams, now it’s PM Imran Khan’s turn to urge people to contribute to the cause, reports The Express Tribune.
While addressing the nation Friday, Khan appealed to Pakistanis living abroad as well as those in the country to contribute funds.
According to the report, Khan pointed out that the biggest challenge Pakistan is facing today is water scarcity. He said, if water reservoirs are not constructed in the coming years, the country will be facing severe drought.
He also said, “Overseas Pakistanis, especially those living in European countries, should contribute at least $100 each to the PM/CJP’s fund for dams”.
Pakistan records electoral participation of 183 women but gives seats to only 8
Only eight female lawmakers were able to secure seats in the National Assembly despite 183 women contesting the 25 July polls, Dawn reports, citing data released by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
In contrast, 135 women had contested in the 2013 polls.
A possible reason for these many numbers of women contesting this year’s elections can be attributed to a provision in the Elections Act 2017 that requires all parties to allocate at least 5 per cent of their tickets to women candidates for general seats in the National Assembly and provincial assemblies.
However, the three main political parties of Pakistan – PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by Pirme Minister Imran Khan) PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz now led by Shehbaz Sharif) and PPP (Pakistan People’s Party-led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari), barely followed this 5 per cent requirement providing minimum tickets to women.
Out of the eight women candidates who obtained their seats, three were from PPP, two had contested on PTI tickets while the PML-N, Balochistan Awami Party, and Grand Democratic Alliance each recorded one winning woman candidate.
Doctor with no aviation experience is new CEO of Pakistan’s national carrier
The Pakistan government has appointed another MBBS doctor Muhammad Saqib Aziz as the chief executive officer of Pakistan International Airlines, reports The Nation.
The report said Aziz’s selection is against the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) rules because the new CEO has three portfolios and with no aviation experience. “The chairman shall be elected subject to such terms and conditions and responsibilities as provided under Section 192 of the act and these regulations,” SECP rules say.
On 3 September, the Supreme Court of Pakistan removed Musharraf Rasool Cyan as the chief executive officer of PIA citing that he was a doctor and did not know to operate an aircraft.
Meanwhile, a senior official told the newspaper that the reason behind these selections is the connection between the secretary of PIA Dr. Ijaz Munir and MBBS doctors.