Pakistan’s media regulator instructs news channels not to promote political ‘hate mongers’

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Wednesday instructed news channels to stop promoting "hate mongers" in an apparent reference to former prime minister Imran Khan and leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party while mentioning the violent protests against government and military properties last month.

PEMRA mentioned Article 19 of Pakistan's constitution that guarantees freedom of speech to all citizens at the beginning of its notification, though it argued it was crucial to strike a balance between protecting freedom of expression and maintaining public order.

The document mentioned the violent protests that broke out after Khan was arrested on the instruction of the country's anti-graft body on corruption allegations on May 9 when hundreds of people carrying PTI flags torched government buildings, including a top army general's official residence, and stormed sensitive military installations.

Without naming the ex-premier or any of his close aides, it said these "anti-state activities were orchestrated by the politically charged ... zealots of [a] political party."

"It is indeed a fact such hate mongers, representing political outfits are abusing power against the Federation of Pakistan and state institutions by polluting innocent minds of public," said the notification. "This is unequivocally a very horrific trend which needs to be condemned and those involved in promoting such activities must be boycotted on media for damaging peace and tranquility in the country."

"In the wake of aforementioned scenario, all satellite TV channels licensees are directed to remain vigilant and not to promote any hate mongers, perpetrators and their facilitators inadvertently," it added.

The notification asked media organizations to follow its code of conduct so that "coherence and national harmony could be promoted and hate mongers, rioters, their facilitators and perpetrators are completely screened out from media."

It is pertinent to mention here that PEMRA suspended the licenses of various news channels in the past, though its decisions were reversed by the country's judiciary.

It also took action against pro-PTI media outlets, most notably ARY News, by removing them from national airwaves in the wake of the alleged anti-government and anti-military broadcasts.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's foreign office on Thursday welcomed the reopening of Iranian embassy in Saudi Arabia, calling it an "important development" that would positively impact peace and stability in the region.

The administration in Tehran formally reopened its embassy in Riyadh this week after the two Middle Eastern countries decided to restore ties and reopen diplomatic missions following an agreement brokered by the Chinese authorities in March this year.

The Iranian embassy started operating in Saudi Arabia for the first time in seven years on Tuesday.

"The opening of the Iran embassy in Riyadh is a welcome and important development in pursuance of normalization of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia," foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in her weekly news briefing.

She described the development as a "tangible confidence-building measure" between two important countries in a volatile region.

"Pakistan has a history of actively supporting diplomatic and peaceful efforts of bridging gaps between our friends and brotherly countries, Iran and Saudi Arabia," she continued. "It will not only contribute significantly to positive relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia but also have a significant impact on peace and stability in the region."

It may be recalled that the kingdom decided to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Iran after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran in 2016.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Iraq agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in multiple areas during foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's three-day official visit to the Arab state, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries on Thursday.

Bhutto-Zardari arrived in Baghdad on Monday morning on a three-day visit which began with meetings with the President of Iraq, Abdul Latif Rashid, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Dr. Fuad Hussein.

Relations between Pakistan and Iraq have received a boost with a number of ministerial-level exchanges in recent years. Iraq's foreign minister visited Islamabad in August last year.

"In the high-level interactions of the Foreign Minister, the two sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in diverse areas including Agriculture, Water Management, inclusion of Pakistan in the Iraqi Development Corridor, establishing sister port cities relations between Basra and Karachi, defense production, health, textile, pharmaceutical and supporting Iraq's efforts in their reconstruction and rehabilitation," the joint statement, circulated by Pakistan's foreign office in Islamabad, said.

"Both countries would strive to strengthen and expand the bilateral economic, trade and investment ties in the traditional and non-traditional sectors, including by exploiting the existing complementarities and opportunities," it continued.

The two sides agreed to promote parliamentary diplomacy through the exchange of visits and regular contacts among people's representatives.

The foreign minister's Iraq visit also opened up space for greater collaboration between the business communities of the two states.

The two sides welcomed memorandum of understanding signed between the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Iraq Chamber of Commerce to build a robust economic partnership.

"First edition of Pakistan Iraq Business Forum was organized in Baghdad on 5 June 2023 during the visit which was very well attended and afforded a good opportunity of engagement for the businessmen and investors from both sides," said the statement. "Both sides also witnessed the announcement of creation of Pak-Iraq Business Council which would provide a structured platform for the businessmen and investors from both countries to develop proper business to business linkages and networking for enhancement of bilateral trade ties."

Recognizing the huge tourism potential in both countries, Pakistan and Iraq decided to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of religious tourism and hospitality.

"The Foreign Minister underscored the vital importance of a flexible visa regime for the Zaireen [pilgrims] and the businessmen," said the statement. "The Iraqi side assured of their full support and extending flexible visa regime. The MoU in this regard is scheduled to be signed during the forthcoming visit of Iraqi Interior Minister to Pakistan."

Bhutto-Zardari concluded his visit by extending invitations to the Iraqi president, prime minister and other officials to Pakistan.

The Iraqi leaders also agreed to visit the South Asian country on mutually convenient dates determined through diplomatic channels.

ISLAMABAD: The local administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Mansehra district on Thursday warned tourists to avoid Babusar Top mountain pass due to bad weather conditions it said could lead to avalanches and landslides.

Situated toward north of Pakistan's scenic Kaghan Valley, Babusar Top is a high mountain pass elevated at 4,173 meters or 13,691 feet above sea level. The tourist destination, which is popular among locals and foreigners alike, remains closed from October to June every year due to heavy snowfall. In the past, several tourists lost their lives after being stuck at the pass due to landslides.

Last year, two main thoroughfares — the Karakorum Highway (KKH) and Babusar Road — were blocked after heavy rains triggered landslides at multiple locations, cutting off the Gilgit-Baltistan region from other parts of the country.

"This is to inform all tourists and travelers that due to bad weather, the Babusar Top is at risk of witnessing avalanches and landslides," the office of the deputy commissioner in Mansehra announced in a Twitter post. "Therefore, travel toward the mountain pass should be avoided." the deputy commissioner of Mansehra district announced in a Twitter post.

"Once the road has been cleared, the local administration will make an announcement for tourists to resume their travel," it added.

pic.twitter.com/uFwG3y36gB

Meanwhile, all other areas in and around Naran and Kaghan, including Gittidas, Sharan Forest, Shogran, Siri Paye, and Saiful Maluk Lake are open for travel, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) Project announced on Wednesday.

خیبرپختونخوا سیاحتی معلومات :: 07 جون 2023 کسی بھی سیاحتی و سفری معلومات کے لیے برائے مہربانی محکمہ سیاحت کائیٹ پراجیکٹ کے KP Tourist Facilitation Hub 24/7 ہیلپ لائن 1422 پر رابطہ کریں۔#KITEDoT #KPTourism #ResponsibleTourism @PtdcOfficial @kafzal01 @WorldBank @WBG_IDA pic.twitter.com/iDtjOGvJYu

Northern Pakistan is home to the world's three famous mountain ranges — the Himalayas, the Karakorams, and the Hindukush. The area is blessed with high mountains, landscapes, lakes, glaciers, and valleys with breathtaking views.

With more than 20 peaks of over 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) and four over 8,000 meters, the area is a paradise for high-altitude climbers, trekkers, and hikers.

KARACHI: Pakistan stands to secure one board review under the current bailout package of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if measures in its budget, set to be unveiled on Friday, meet the lender's expectations, a Fund official said.

The IMF program runs out this month with about $2.5 billion in funds, under three prior reviews, yet to be released, as Pakistan struggles to strike a deal with the lender while battling record inflation, fiscal imbalances and low reserves.

Passing a budget for fiscal year 2024 that meets program objectives is key to paving the way for a final review under the current bailout, the IMF's resident representative for Pakistan, Esther Perez Ruiz, said.

"The focus of discussions over the FY24 budget is to balance the need to strengthen debt sustainability prospects while creating space to increase social spending," she told Reuters on Thursday.

More such spending would defray the impact of inflationary pressures on Pakistan's most vulnerable, Ruiz added, but it needed more progress to identify spending and revenue-generating measures in order to achieve this.

Pakistan and the IMF have been engaged in budget talks.

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar is scheduled to release the Pakistan Economic Survey today, Thursday, to present a comprehensive assessment of the country's economic performance, trends, and challenges ahead of the presentation of the federal budget.

The official document will provide a detailed overview of various economic sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, services, energy, information technology, telecom, health, education, transport, and capital markets, etc.

The survey will also describe in detail the annual trends of major economic indicators related to inflation, trade, public debt, population, employment, climate change, and social protections.

"The Pakistan Economic Survey, containing the details of major socio-economic achievements during the outgoing fiscal year 2022-23, will be launched in a ceremony on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 4:10 p.m. at the Auditorium of P-Block, Pak Secretariat," the finance division said in a statement. "Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will chair the launching ceremony of the Economic Survey for the outgoing fiscal year."

Dar will also present the federal budget for 2023-24 in the National Assembly on Friday amid an inconclusive deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under a bailout program signed in 2019.

The outgoing fiscal year has been unprecedented for the South Asian country in terms of the highest-ever inflation, slowing economic growth, and depletion of foreign exchange reserves, which triggered massive currency devaluation.

The cash-strapped Pakistan took various harsh measures, including energy tariff hikes, to get the IMF's nod for the conclusion of the ninth review of the bailout program, but it continued to remain off track for nearly eight months. The program, which was originally signed for $6 billion, was enhanced to $6.5 billion until June 2023.

As the tenure of the program is set to expire at the end of this month, Pakistani authorities have failed to revive the stalled loan program, which has also prevented funding from other donors.

The economic slowdown in Pakistan has also tanked the country's GDP growth, which is estimated to remain at 0.29 percent in the current fiscal year, FY23, as compared to the revised growth rate of 6.10 percent of the last fiscal year, FY22, according to the finance ministry.

Pakistan has witnessed a massive uptick in the inflation rate since late last year, which hit the highest-ever 38 percent in April. The inflation was also fueled by around 30 percent currency devaluation since June 2022 along with the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict that disrupted the global supply chain.

Despite these challenges, the government has approved an estimated 3.5 percent GDP growth target for the next fiscal year, FY24, said the planning minister, Ahsan Iqbal, on Tuesday.

As the finance ministry is set to announce the fiscal plan for 2023-24, the budget outlay is expected to be around Rs15 trillion, against Rs9.6 trillion proposed for FY23, assuming a record-high markup cost due to the high-interest rate.

The government is likely to set a tax revenue collection target of about Rs9.2 trillion for FY24, about 8.6 percent of the GDP, according to Topline Securities.