This is a random selection of News and Views from Urdu Dailies of Pakistan

NEWS

Criticizing the Shehbaz government, the Chief of Jamaat e Islami Sirajul Haq has said for the last 74 years a system of oppression and injustice is working in the country. Only the rulers are changing, not the system. Yesterday it was PTI and today it is PML-N. Siraj ul Haq expressed his surprise that just after taking the oath the Prime Minister sent his finance minister to America to talk with the IMF. If we have honest rulers, there will be no need for foreign loans. (Report in Islam Daily)
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to consider a joint strategy with the Jamaat-e- Islami to pursue its contention on US intervention in the country. Former Speaker Asad Qaiser will meet Chairman of Jamaat-e-Islami, Sirajul Haq to discuss the modalities. Qaiser had a telephone conversation with Sirajul Haq. (Report in Nawaiwaqt, Ummat)
In an interview with a private TV channel, Federal Minister for Water Resources and leader of PPP Khursheed Ahmed Shah said before becoming Prime Minister Imran Khan had spoken of going to office by cycle from his home. But as PM he opted for a helicopter ride. The amount he had spent on the helicopter rides was enough to construct at least 100 primary schools. (Report in Intekhab Daily)
The Opposition in Gilgit-Baltistan has decided to bring a no-confidence against Chief Minister Khurshid Khalid immediately after Ramadan Eid. (Report in Baad-e-Shimal)
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (MAP) has asked the federal government to take steps on war-footing to overcome the water scarcity in Pashtun areas of Balochistan. There is acute shortage of clean drinking water. Both livestock and agriculture are at the verge of destruction in the province, the party said. (Report in Qudrat)
Wheat is being smuggled to Balochistan and Afghanistan via Jacobabad. The Food Department, police and local influential persons are involved. Trucks loaded with wheat bags are allowed to pass through Jacobabad after bribes that range from 10 to 15 thousand are paid per truck. The Food Department has failed to achieve its procurement target mainly because of the difference between open market and government prices. The farmer is getting 300 rupees more per bag in the open market. So, why will he sell it to the government for less. Get ready for a big wheat crisis. (Report in Intekhab Daily)
Law and Order situation in Kohat is deteriorating, and people are living under fear following attacks on Police, day light murders and incidents of looting. People are worried about their safety and security amidst this lawlessness. (Report in Aeen, Asas)

COLUMNS

Muhammad Tausfi-ul-Haq Siddiqui in Jasarat

For seventy years the oppressed people of Balochistan have been made to believe that non-Balochs are enjoying their wealth and all the minerals, petrol, gas, high-quality diamonds and jewels, precious metals and stones of Balochistan are being taken to Islamabad and Punjab. The Gwadar CPEC agreement will not benefit the people of Balochistan, neither the people of Sindh nor the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but all this money will be spent on the development of Punjab. This kind of negative propaganda has affected not only the old, the young, and the women but also the innocent school and college youth. And when Shehbaz Sharif, the former Chief Minister of Punjab and the current PM of Pakistan, was visiting Gwadar, innocent children at a school in Gwadar asked him if Balochistan’s money was being spent on development in Punjab. Balochistan has been neglected by the present and past rulers for seventy years. There are industries only in Hub and Quetta, while a foreign company has given preference to outsiders for extracting gas and petrol in the whole of Balochistan. A network of industries should have been set up all over Balochistan, local Baloch youth should have been given priority in government jobs. I had toured the whole of Sindh and Balochistan during my 38-and-a-half years of government service in the audit department. People in Balochistan are living below the poverty line. Along with the civil bureaucracy, the chief ministers and ministers of the former and present governments are responsible for the devastation in Balochistan.

2. Allah Bux Rathod in Sindh Exp

The people seen around Imran Khan might not stay with him for long. Right now, he is fighting two key institutions directly and indirectly too. He wants to start a direct or indirect campaign against the army chief. He also fears that the Election Commission might ban his party, PTI, because of a much-debated foreign funding case. He fears getting disqualified too in this case. Whatever be the verdict, the foreign funding case will determine the political future of Imran Khan. Whatever he is doing these days can only trigger anarchy in the society.

3. Akhtar Hafeez in Sindh Exp

The scenario unfolding these days does not suggest any better or comfortable times ahead for Imran Khan. More “pandora boxes” in cupboards are tumbling out showing Imran Khan’s other and darker side. The main question continues to be: Can our political parties ever be truly independent and free to deliver or will political parties continue to be dictated as hitherto?

4.K. Dilshad in Ibrat

I see Imran Khan’s “stormy protests” getting weakened with passage of time. His party, PTI, can get entangled in legal issues; party symbol and party registration with election commission can be in jeopardy. If foreign funding charges against party are proved it can keep party leaders on toes with PTI leaders making rounds to country’s apex court seeking to defend PTI case.

5.Aziz Jamali in Kawish

Imran Khan is unlikely to get the type of support he got in 2018. He has started a very dangerous game now. By the time the army chief retires and a new one is appointed, it is likely that an anti-Imran Khan atmosphere is around. New elections are likely to be held only under the new army chief. By that time, all alliance partners in the new government under Shahbaz Sharif would have also made up their mind. This time, PPP and ML (N) are once again thinking of going for a Charter of Democracy. Thus, both parties will either contest polls in alliance or they will do some seat adjustment and would not field candidates against each other. MQM, PML -Q and parties in Sindh’s GDA may either join PPP – PML N alliance or have seat adjustments with them. In short, the political scenario looks like changing before the next general polls. By that time, Imran Khan will be much tamed and not as aggressive as he is now. The biggest question is: Where will Imran Khan be in those days? We will have to wait to see it in days ahead.

6.Dastgir Bhati in Sindh Exp

The seeds of fascism were sown in Pakistan at the very time when East Pakistan was separated from it. The civilian democratic fascism has been thrust on the country from the very times of Zulfikar Bhutto to Imran Khan. Our people too are very strange. Zulfikar pushed fascism but he is a popular leader for people. Likewise, Imran Khan is going against every institution, be it Election Commission, Judiciary, Parliament, Opposition and in deed every constitution of the country. Yet crowds throng his meetings and he enjoys sympathy of these teeming crowds as they see him “victim” at the hands of institutions or system of the day. Imran Khan is much frustrated as his so-called foreign conspiracy theory is losing steam; therefore, he is trying to force early elections by triggering anarchy in the country. But it is his big and dangerous blunder to think that he can force early elections by his pressure tactics. One last thing… all those who have looted country over the years including outgoing Imran Khan (he has taken over state gifts at throw-away prices), must return their loot to treasury or else we are heading for times worse than ones experienced in Zimbabwe and Venezuela.

7.Dr. Shabir Ahmed Khan in Nawaiwaqt

Pakistan elections are never transparent. The entire electoral history is rife with allegations of fraud and controversy. In the 2018 elections, Imran Khan delivered his victory speech at a time when the number of all his winning candidates was less than the required number to propel him to the PM chair. The question arises, as to who had given Imran Khan the hope that the winners of all the independent and small parties would join the PTI only? Like in the West, the tradition of the loser admitting his defeat and congratulating the winner in a speech in front of the whole nation is still a long way off. I mean, even after the election, it is important to have an atmosphere of tolerance, liberalism, equality, and impartiality, otherwise, the perception that the electoral process is non-transparent will remain strong.

8.R. Mohamad in Ibrat (Apr 24)

Any country that is not financially independent lands in a modern type of slavery. Government expenditure is too high and it keeps rising. Loans are being raised not only from financial institutions like IMF, World Bank at high rates of interest, but also from other countries like China, America and Gulf countries, Saudi in particular. That is the reason we have to accept their likes and diktats from time to time to keep them in good humour. If we do not take right and timely decisions for the sake of the country’s security, our conditions will be like those we find in Sri Lanka today. Pakistan must take lessons from Sri Lankan conditions today.

EDITORIALS

As it was feared that nothing had changed only faces have been replaced. Zardari, Nawaz, and Imran, whoever may head the government, it will continue to follow the orders of the IMF. No one has the courage to challenge the IMF or run the country. The rulers do not care what effect the acceptance of the IMF’s terms has on the people. Therefore, Finance Minister Muftah Ismail and his colleagues, who are rushing for talks with the IMF, have been accepting all the conditions. (Edit in Jasarat)

It is time we get rid of Balochistan’s missing persons’ issue once for all. The issue is taken up at administrative and judicial levels and also at institutional and government levels. At the same time, questions are being raised also against institutions. It is often observed that if at all there is any charge or any offence committed by an abducted person, let that person be produced before court of law. Hopefully, new government will find some way out to settle this issue once for all not only for sake of satisfying allies in government but also for satisfying people and families at large; even PM has assured to this effect. (Edit in Pahenji, April 24)

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Balochistan is very near to my heart and I will play my role to bring Balochistan to a level with other provinces. Area wise Balochistan is the biggest province of Pakistan and the richest in natural resources. But despite all these resources, it is the most backward province of the country. It does not have even proper infrastructure. Badly lacks educational and health facilities. People of Balochistan feel deprived and this feeling can’t be removed by statements only. Positive and practical steps are needed to solve the problems of Balochistan. (Edits in Islam Daily, Qudrat, Daily Pakistan)

Punjab is the most populated province of Pakistan and generally, it is said that the real ruler of Pakistan is Punjab, but today the elected Chief Minister of Punjab Hamza Sharif is knocking at the doors of the court because a proper authority is not available for the oath-taking ceremony. The President and Governor of Punjab are ailing; besides that, they have constitutional reasons why they can’t conduct the ceremony. It is a constitutional crisis that a Chief Minister elected by the Majority is unable to take the oath. The violence in the Punjab assembly during the election of the CM is the basis of this crisis. Only the court can solve this constitutional crisis. (Edit in Intekhab Daily)