Pakistan’s Political Crisis: A Brief Note

After a year in power, the PML-N-led coalition has extraordinarily little to show in performance. Earlier, the PTI had also lost popularity and public opinion had shifted in favor of parties in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Today, Prime Minister Shehbaz presides over a giant cabinet of some 77 ministers that collectively fail to deliver. Pakistan's profoundly serious political crisis is affecting the economy which resultantly is gravely endangered. The PDM government’s parleys with e IMF are stalled. The IMF program, under the EFF, is going to expire on June 30, 2023, and under the set guidelines, the program cannot be extended beyond the deadline.

It is yet to be seen how Pakistan and the IMF sides would proceed with the completion of the bailout program when the 10th Review has already got delayed. The pending 9th Review was scheduled to be completed in December 2022 and the 10th Review should have been kick-started from February 2023. The 11th Review was scheduled to commence on May 3.

Now the delayed decision on the 9th Review would increase the cost of rectifying the situation. There is no easy solution available to fix the ailing economy of Pakistan. The government argued that they have taken all the tough decisions for reviving the stalled IMF program.

The IMF is seeking verifications from the bilateral friends of Pakistan, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, if they would provide additional assistance of $6 billion by the end of June 2023.

The SBP foreign exchange reserves stood at $4.2 billion, which is not even sufficient for meeting obligations on account of foreign debt servicing including principal amount and markup.

As the government scrambled to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions to unlock a desperately needed bailout. 

Years of financial mismanagement and political instability have pushed Pakistan's economy to the brink of collapse, exacerbated by a global energy crisis and devastating floods that submerged a third of the country in 2022.

The country needs billions of dollars of financing to service existing debt, while foreign exchange reserves have dwindled, and the rupee is in freefall.

Pakistan's year-on-year inflation hit 35.37 percent in March -- the highest in five decades - Month-on-month inflation was 3.72 percent, according to government data released on April 2, 2023, while the average inflation rate for the past year was 27.26 percent.[1]

Poor Pakistanis are feeling the brunt of the economic turmoil, and at least 20 people have been killed since the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in crowd crushes at food distribution centers.

"The way inflation is rising; I believe a famine-like situation has been simmering. At least 12 people were killed on March 31, 2023, in a crowd crush in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi at a factory distributing Ramadan alms.

Pakistan is deep in debt and must enact tough tax reforms and push up utility prices if it hopes to unlock another tranche of a $6.5 billion IMF bailout and avoid defaulting.

Inflation is expected to stay at "elevated" levels, the finance ministry said, "owing to market frictions caused by relative demand and supply gap of essential items, exchange rate depreciation and recent upward adjustment of administered prices of petrol and diesel."[2]

Consumer price inflation in Pakistan jumped to a record 35.37% in March from a year earlier, the statistics bureau said on Saturday, as at least 16 people were killed in stampedes for food aid.

The March inflation number eclipsed February's 31.5%, the bureau said, as food, beverage, and transport prices surged up to 50% year-on-year.

Thousands of people have gathered at flour distribution centers set up across the country, some as part of a government-backed program to ease the impact of inflation.

At least 16 people, including five women and three children, have been killed in stampedes at such centers in recent days, police and officials have said. Thousands of bags of flour have also been looted from trucks and distribution points, according to official records.[3]

Today, the country is facing continuously deteriorating macroeconomic indicators, like the depreciating rupee and depleting forex reserves, increasing current account and budget deficits. As of mid-May 2022, the current account deficit and budget deficits have increased and so has the national debt, both internal and external. The nature of Pakistan’s economy is at a critical precarious stage and on the verge of a default. Pakistan has yet to complete tasks before can unlock a $6.5 billion IMF loan to avoid a default.

Pakistan emphatically requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on April 12, 2023, to show some flexibility and sign the staff-level agreement, however, it could not get a date despite Islamabad’s growing concerns about the fallout of a worsening economic crisis.

The request was made by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in a virtual meeting with Jihad Azour, the IMF’s director for the Middle East and Central Asia Department. However, the minister could not get the desired result, as the IMF once again raised the issue of the petrol subsidy and possible fiscal leakages because of the implementation of the subsidy plan.

The two sides discussed the progress made on the IMF program, particularly the talks held with the IMF mission during its visit to Pakistan, and the implementation of prior actions, according to the press statement issued by the finance ministry.

“The minister urges the IMF not to raise the issue of petrol subsidy, and object to the IMF’s approach of seeking clarifications about the schemes announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” said sources.

Dar also requested the IMF to lower the needed foreign loan requirement by another $1 billion to $5 billion after improvement in the current account deficit, the sources added. The IMF has already cut the requirement by $1 billion to $6 billion last month.[4]

Due to a delay in finalizing the agreement for the 9th review, the IMF has withheld the approval of the $1.1 billion tranche. Besides, it also has delayed the disbursements by the World Bank and other multilateral institutions.

Dar informed that all prior actions for the 9th review under the Extended Fund Facility have already been completed and the government of Pakistan is fully committed to fulfilling its obligations as agreed with the IMF. He mentioned that it was unprecedented that the prior actions had been met much before the signing of the staff-level agreement, and yet the IMF was not ready to sign the deal.

However, the IMF was of the view that all the issues remained unsettled until the deal was ratified by its executive board, irrespective of the fact whether a country met the prior actions before the staff-level agreement or after that. The finance minister asked the IMF to come clear on the timeframe of the staff-level agreement as the delay was now causing economic losses to the country amid growing nervousness in the markets.[5]

Meanwhile, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report has revealed that Pakistan will miss the fiscal and debt reduction targets of this fiscal year and the situation will become worse in the next fiscal year with a budget deficit peaking at 8.3% of the size of the nation’s economy. The Fiscal Monitor report showed that Pakistan will miss all targets related to the reduction of the budget deficit, gross public debt, and expenditures and increasing revenues during FY2022-23 and FY2023-24. Compared to an eight-month-old assessment of booking a budget deficit of 4.7% of the GDP, the Fiscal Monitor report showed that the deficit may widen to as high as 6.8% by June this year. There is a slippage of 2.1% of the GDP or Rs1.8 trillion, underscoring the deficient performance of the incumbent government.[6]

This also puts a question mark on the performance of the $6.5 billion Extended Fund Facility whose objectives were fiscal consolidation and putting the country on a sustainable path toward debt reduction.

The IMF report further showed that during FY2023-24, starting from July, the budget deficit can go to as high as 8.3% of the GDP. In August last year, the IMF projected the budget deficit for the next fiscal year at 4% of the GDP. Within eight months, the IMF had shown a massive deterioration in the core budget target. Under the $6.5 billion bailout package, the IMF had targeted Pakistan to achieve a primary budget surplus – a measure that shows that government revenues are higher than its expenditures excluding interest payments. The primary budget surplus had been boasted as a strategy to reduce public debt.[7]

According to the Fiscal Monitor report, however, during the current fiscal year instead of achieving any surplus, Pakistan will have a primary budget deficit equal to at least 0.5% of the GDP. Compared to just eight months ago, there is a deviation of around 0.7% or Rs600 billion at the current projected size of the economy. During the eight review talks in August last year, the IMF spent considerable time ensuring Pakistan achieves a nominal primary surplus of 0.2% of the GDP. This has not materialized. For FY2023-24, the IMF has projected a primary deficit of 0.4% of the size of the economy compared to its old assessment of having about 0.6% surplus.

Pakistan’s indicators are deteriorating at a time when these core numbers are showing improvement in other countries. The Fiscal Monitor report stated that three years after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, fiscal policy was returning to normal. After providing extraordinary support simultaneously in 2020, both monetary and fiscal policy tightened in three-quarters of countries in 2022 amid high inflation and the expiration of pandemic-related spending measures. This shift occurred in a highly volatile environment.

The report further stated that following a historic surge in global public debt to 100% of GDP in 2020, because of economic contraction and massive government support, fiscal deficits have since declined, as exceptional measures have come to an end. With strong nominal GDP growth in 2021–22, global debt posted the steepest decline in 70 years and stood at about 92% of GDP at the end of 2022, still about eight percentage points above the level at the end of 2019.[8]

Primary deficits were also falling rapidly and moving closer to pre-pandemic levels in many countries, but overall deficits have fallen less owing to rising interest payments. The report showed that Pakistan’s revenue-to-GDP ratio may also remain below the levels assessed earlier. It is now projected at 12.2% of the GDP, which should also be a matter of concern for the IMF which will also miss its program targets. For the next fiscal year, the IMF has projected revenues at just 12.5% of the GDP.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been struggling to achieve its annual target and has already booked an Rs276 billion shortfall in just nine months of the fiscal year. Compared to this, expenditures will remain far higher than the old assessments. For the current fiscal year, the IMF has projected expenditures to grow to 19.1% of the GDP, breaching the earlier projection by as much as 2% or Rs1.7 trillion. The situation will not improve in the next fiscal year either, as the report shows the expenses increasing to 20.8% of the GDP – exceeding the earlier estimates by a margin of at least Rs3.4 trillion at the current projected size of the economy.[9]

As a result of these poor indicators, gross public debt is shown at 73.6% of the GDP by end of this fiscal year. At the time of signing of the program in July 2019, the IMF had projected that Pakistan’s public debt would come down to 65% of the GDP. For the next fiscal year, the IMF has shown a significant reduction in debt by projecting it at 69% of the GDP – an assessment that may again be proved wrong.

The Fiscal Monitor report stated that debt dynamics deteriorated in emerging market economies and low-income developing countries with sizable shares of debt in foreign currency, as currency depreciation and rising interest rates came together with inflation.

In the past year, the Pakistan rupee has devalued by more than 56% – a record fall – while inflation in Pakistan peaked at a 50-year at 35.4% in March.[10]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on April 13, 2023, did not accept Pakistan’s request to reduce the additional loan requirement to $5 billion, as its deputy managing director sought further clarifications about the viability of an official plan to raise the loans.

The virtual contact was established the day a judicial and constitutional crisis further deepened in Pakistan. The National Assembly’s decision to reject a Money Bill moved to give funds for elections and the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s interim order that barred the government from implementing another law passed to streamline the powers of the top judge has further deteriorated the political situation.[11]

The political stability and the supremacy of the Constitution are considered of paramount importance for long-term financial relations. During the meeting, the IMF sought the details of the $6 billion financing plan and questioned the viability of some of the numbers presented by Pakistani authorities The finance minister gave the breakup of the loans that he has been striving to raise for the past many months. Pakistan requested the IMF to consider lowering the additional loan requirements to $5 billion due to less than anticipated current account deficit during the current fiscal year. But some of the members of the IMF were of the view that Pakistan may need even more than $6 billion to increase the foreign exchange reserves to a comfortable level. It was finally agreed that Pakistan would raise $6 billion and half of it must be materialized before the staff-level agreement.

Pakistan again assured the IMF that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would soon commit to the $1 billion loan while Saudi Arabia has already given its consent.[12]

The finance minister shared that all prior actions for the 9th Review under the Extended Fund Facility have already been completed and the government of Pakistan is fully committed to fulfilling its obligations as agreed with the IMF. The finance minister said that all the international obligations have been addressed in time. However, the IMF did not appear convinced about Pakistan’s claim to comfortably arrange the rest of the $3 billion. It has doubts about arranging over half a billion dollars through outsourcing of the three international airports.

The International Finance Corporation –the transaction advisor -is still in the infancy stage of preparing the transaction structure for international competitive bidding. A day earlier, Ishaq Dar had questioned the motives of the IMF Mission Chief by not giving a date for signing the staff-level agreement.

Pakistani authorities informed the IMF that at least two foreign commercial banks were in touch, but the loan deals cannot be signed until a staff-level agreement is reached.[13]

Meanwhile, the gross official reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan again slipped to $4 billion as of last week –not enough to keep the country afloat till June 2023.

By mid-April 2023 Pakistan is facing one of the most daunting economic challenges of its history.

Asia Development Bank's (ADB) latest report has forecast Pakistan's economic growth to slow in FY2023 in the wake of last year's devastating floods, increasing inflation, a current account deficit, and an ongoing foreign exchange crisis. In the flagship economic report titled Asian Development Outlook in April 2023, the ADB said Pakistan's economy has the potential to bounce back with robust macroeconomic and structural reforms. Pakistan faces strong headwinds while last year's catastrophic floods also exacerbated the economic and financial challenges.[14]

ADO April 2023 noted that climate change poses a grave challenge to Pakistan's economic, social, and environmental development. According to the Global Climate Risk Index, the country has ranked among the 10 most vulnerable nations worldwide in the past 2 decades. The ADB has expressed commitment to continue to support Pakistan's economic recovery and development plans.[15]

Pakistan’s economic crisis started last year due to high inflation, a depreciating currency, and low reserves of foreign currency, which are used to purchase imports like food and fuel. One-third of Pakistan’s farmland was affected after catastrophic floods last summer. According to the International Rescue Committee, 33 million people in Pakistan were affected by the severe flooding that has caused $40 billion in economic damage.[16]

The PDM government has been trying to reach an agreement with the IMF to restart a $6.5 billion loan program that has stalled since November 2022, to keep the economy afloat. The IMF has presented a set of conditions in exchange for the release of a $1.1 billion loan installment. It includes liberalizing the rupee’s exchange rate and raising taxes.[17]

Pakistan’s consumer price index rose to a record 35% in March 2023 from a year earlier. The March inflation number eclipsed February’s 31.5%, as food, beverage, and transport prices surged up to 50% compared to last year. Staples like the price of flour, a staple of Pakistani diets, has doubled over the past year.[18]

By April 2023, inflation was at a record 35.4 percent.[19]

The International Monetary Fund has slashed the growth outlook for cash-strapped Pakistan, forecasting the South Asian country’s fragile economy will grow just 0.5 percent this year, down from 6 percent in 2022.

The latest data on Pakistan’s ailing economy was released by the IMF on April 11, 2023, when it unveiled its World Economic Outlook report in Washington, DC.

The IMF also forecasts 27 percent inflation for this year for the country of more than 230 million people.

The global lender warned that unemployment would continue to rise in Pakistan which is struggling to avoid a default as it recovers from the destruction caused by last summer’s floods, which killed 1,739 people and caused $30bn in damages.

The International Monetary Fund has slashed the growth outlook for cash-strapped Pakistan, forecasting the South Asian country’s fragile economy will grow just 0.5 percent this year, down from 6 percent in 2022. The latest data on Pakistan’s ailing economy was released by the IMF on April 11, 2023, when it unveiled its World Economic Outlook report in Washington, DC. The IMF also forecast 27 percent inflation for this year for the country of more than 230 million The global lender warned that unemployment would continue to rise in Pakistan which is struggling to avoid a default as it recovers from the destruction caused by last summer’s floods, which killed 1,739 people and caused $30bn in damages.[20]

The coalition government of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is in talks with the IMF to receive a key tranche of a $6bn bailout package signed in 2019 by Sharif’s predecessor Imran Khan.

In recent weeks, the government slashed subsidies and raised taxes to comply with the bailout terms and secure the release of the $1.2bn portion of the deal that has been stalled since December. But those measures resulted in increases in the price of food, gas, and power.

Sharif’s government has become unpopular because of higher food costs, although he has blamed Khan, who is now the country’s opposition leader, for mismanaging the economy when he was in power.[21]

By April 20, 2023, the IMF is facing a challenging question regarding whom to trust in Pakistan to revive its $7 billion loan program for the nation.

The incumbent government, led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, has continued to fulfill commitments with the IMF and implement tough decisions. However, the IMF is assessing who holds power in Pakistan, not only to make future commitments but also to implement them. This has caused the loan program to remain stalled since November 2022.

The government is currently engaged in formal talks with IMF and has implemented several challenging decisions, including ending control over the rupee-dollar exchange rate, increasing energy tariffs, and imposing new taxes worth Rs170 billion. The IMF, however, has continued to demand new conditions, which has led the government to seek additional financial commitments worth another $3-4 billion from friendly countries to restart the program. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have already indicated their willingness to give $2 billion and $1 billion, respectively, in new financing to Pakistan.[22]

The PDM government has lost credibility due to poor decisions taken by different institutions. Pakistan is facing a perception that it is no longer a desirable place to go, as evidenced by the high number of people searching for visas to leave the country.

Pakistan faces a critical challenge in rebuilding trust with the IMF to restart its loan program. With the IMF assessing the country’s leadership and its ability to implement necessary economic reforms, the government must fulfill its commitments and work to build reliable partnerships to revive the program.[23]

The Political Crisis

Imran  Khan was ousted from power in April 2022 after losing a no-confidence vote, becoming the first Pakistani prime minister to be voted out by the National Assembly. Since his ouster, he has been demanding snap polls in the country to remove what he termed an “imported government” led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Meanwhile, a Pakistan court grants interim bail to Imran Khan in seven cases.[24]

The current crisis emanated from Imran Khan’s decision to dissolve the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in January 2023. The PTI was in power in the two provinces. As per the Constitution, the elections were due in 90 days, but the federal government was reluctant to hold them. As expected, the PDM ruling coalition did not succumb to the PTI’s pressure. Imran Khan has been leading rallies in a failed attempt to force Sharif to agree to an early election, which is scheduled for later in 2023. Khan has been holding protest rallies across the country to demand a snap election, but his successor as prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has rejected Khan’s demands. Pakistan has drifted into polarization and one crisis after another ever since.

The federal government has been opposing the early elections. It says that elections should be held on the same day once the incumbent government completes its constitutional term. The government side argues that holding elections separately would increase political crisis. Both sides, however, admit that the deadlock has led to political instability and deteriorated economic situation[25]

Political conflict can lead to a decisive police operation against Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which may lead to more violence. The PDM Government is trying to somehow dimmish the great popularity of the PTI party.

Since his removal from power in April 2022, Khan has held several rallies to demand immediate national elections. He was shot in the leg at one such rally in November. Khan has repeatedly alleged a plot by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and the powerful military to either jail or assassinate him ahead of the general polls due later this year.

In recent weeks, the bitter feud between the ruling coalition and the opposition leader has seen violent clashes between Khan’s supporters and the security forces in the capital Islamabad and his hometown Lahore. Imran Khan has been slapped with more than 80 cases, including those related to alleged corruption and even “terrorism”. Sanaullah refuted the claim, saying there are 40 cases against the opposition leader.[26]

Meanwhile, a total of 143 cases were registered against Khan, mostly on terrorism charges. A Pakistani court on March 27, 2023, granted interim bail to Imran Khan in seven different cases registered against him following clashes at the federal judicial complex here earlier this month when the former prime minister arrived from Lahore to appear in a corruption case hearing. Imran Khan, the chairman of the PTI party, sought interim bail in seven cases registered against him in Golra, Bara Kahu, Ramna, Khanna, and CTD police stations.[27]

Earlier, Imran Khan alleged that the PML-N-led government was plotting to assassinate him in the pattern of Murtaza Bhutto, who was killed in police firing when his sister Benazir Bhutto was in power in 1996.[28]

Pakistan is facing a political crisis. The volatile situation has been defused only by court verdicts. Imran Khan, PTI leader, is now in Islamabad facing about a hundred court cases. As expected, he fears arrest and disqualification from contesting the coming elections. However, Imran Khan is upholding the symbolism of respecting the Rule of Law and fighting these mostly bogus allegations against him in various courts of the country. Today, this symbolism matters a lot as he is gaining public sympathy. Most importantly, the world is watching now and will note actions taken by the state authorities.

Notwithstanding Pakistan’s PDM Government’s apparent inclination to not hold elections as per the Supreme Court verdict, the people demand them, as per the law. Attempts to crush the Opposition forces don't make sense anymore. Is Pakistan descending into a direct military rule? Hope not for the sake of the country.

The litmus test of Pakistan’s sacred cows is whether the two provincial elections are held next month. It appears not. For the sake of Pakistan, they must be held as scheduled. Hoping against hope now.

The solution is adherence to the Rule of Law. It bears to repeat infinitely that no one, including, the military, can stop the provincial elections from taking place next month. The Supreme Court verdict must be implemented, no matter what. All are subordinate to the doctrine of the Rule of Law, with no exceptions. There are no sacred cows in Pakistan. The will of the people is supreme. However, establishing a democratic foundation in the country is no easy task. Given Pakistan’s history, building it will need time and earnest effort.

In March, the SC took suo motu notice of the delay and ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold the elections in Punjab and K-Initially, the date of April 30 was fixed for the polls in Punjab, but the ECP postponed it to October 8. However, it only deepened the crisis as parliament refused to bear the expenses of the elections.

The ruling coalition had also taken the position that the Court's decision did not hold because four of the seven-judge bench had rejected the suo motu notice. Now, the matter is in the apex court again, where a three-member bench has called for political dialogue to resolve the issue.

The Supreme Court then again accepted a petition of the PTI against the postponement of the election and ordered the electoral watchdog to hold the election on May 14 in any case.

The Supreme Court has held that its judgment rendered in the petition on delay in the elections had already fixed the date of elections to the Punjab Provincial Assembly as May 14, 2023. “That judgment holds the field and, therefore, its ruling is binding on all judicial and executive authorities in the country under Article 189 and Article 190 of the Constitution,” said the order.[29]

Currently, both the executive and the judiciary have reached an impasse due to the government’s dithering in conducting the Supreme Court’s verdict whereby it has ordered elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14.

Surprisingly, the PDM government referred the matter to Parliament which defied the court’s orders and refused to issue the funds. The court then directed the State Bank of Pakistan to release the funds, but the central bank, despite having allocated the amount to the ECP, has not been able to release the funds as it needs the federal cabinet’s approval.

Meanwhile, the federal cabinet has managed through the National Assembly the rejection of its demand for the provision of Rs21bn as a supplementary grant to the ECP for holding polls in the two provinces.

As expected, the Supreme Court on April 19, 2023, made it clear that it would not backtrack from its April 4 order to hold the elections in Punjab on May 14. The court reminded that it is an imperative obligation under Articles 112 and 224 of the Constitution to hold a general election to a provincial assembly within 90 days of its dissolution. The apex court also again warned the government of “serious consequences” if it failed to release the funds required for conducting polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The court requires that appropriate remedial measures be taken in full measure to make available the required Rs21 billion for the holding of the general elections to the Punjab and KP assemblies.

Earlier, according to the court’s order of April 19, the representatives of the federation and the senior leadership of all political parties appeared before the court on April 20, 2023, and informed the court of the position of their parties on a political dialogue being held for settling a single date for holding general elections to National Assembly and four provincial assemblies.

On April 19, 2023, while hearing a petition for holding general elections for the National and provincial assemblies simultaneously across the country, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) asked political leaders to negotiate to end the impasse.

Despite the CJP calling for the government and opposition to reach a consensus on the elections through talks, the politicians are sticking to their guns and despite the early positive response, an agreement on the polls still seems hopeless.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif slammed the Supreme Court’s order to stop the enforcement of a proposed law that regulated the powers of the chief justice of Pakistan. He said that there was no example in the world where a law that had not even taken its applicable shape was suspended by a court. “The judiciary can interpret the Constitution that as their right, but the judiciary cannot rewrite the Constitution as this is only parliament’s authority,” he added. The premier went on to say that the “parliament will use its constitutional and legal rights on this” matter. “It is expected from the judiciary, the Supreme Court bench, and bar that they will become the Constitution’s protector,” he said. “Without delving into any political conversation, I want to say that we are undivided on this that indisputably, we won’t hesitate for a moment to sacrifice our political assets to save the state.”

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the government had reached out to the PTI for talks and an “understanding” had been reached that the two sides would again touch base on April 26. “This is the position of talks,” he said. [30]

The CJP also suggested that elections be held in July as suggested by the JI chief.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met with PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman on April 19, 2023, to build a consensus among the ruling coalition on negotiating with the opposition PTI.

Bilawal stressed the need for negotiating with the PTI. They added that Fazl refrained from giving an immediate answer and expressed his lack of trust in Imran Khan.

The meeting between Bilawal and Fazl came a day after a huddle of the government allies, which ended without reaching any consensus on the issue of negotiating with the PTI. [31]

To find a way out of the crisis, the PPP has suggested the coalition hold talks with the PTI on the issue of elections.

The MQM-P, BNP-M, BAP’s Khalid Magsi, PML-Q’s Chaudhry Salik Hussain, NDM’s Mohsin Dawar, and others backed Bilawal’s stance.[32]

PDM parties have rejected the Supreme Court calling on political parties to reach a consensus on a date for polls considering its order to conduct elections in Punjab on May 14, saying that talks with the PTI could not be held under the court’s watch. Bilawal Bhutto and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who also heads the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), termed dialogue between political forces as mandated by the court “talks at gunpoint.” In a reference to the ongoing push within the ruling coalition to hold talks with the PTI, Bilawal Bhutto said he was hopeful that he would be able to convince the ruling allies for talks with the opposition, but the top court’s intervention made his job to forge consensus among allies harder.[33]

The PPP leader urged the apex court to respect parliament and said that it was the responsibility of political forces to ensure the honor of the apex court, He said that the government believed that the decision to hold polls on May 14 in Punjab was a minority decision and dubbed it a “decision at gunpoint”. Fazlur Rehman also ruled out the possibility of holding talks with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan. [34]

The PDM government, and the immensely powerful military, do not want the election at all on the designated date. Therefore, the election date can be extended to make the elections possible. Otherwise, it may not happen on May 14. The Supreme Court has also summoned the leaders or representatives of all political parties today. There is still room for a political compromise of sorts. Given the immense power of the military, it must also be involved in the backstage of the grand compromise. Emphasis must be on peaceful, fair, and fair elections. Meanwhile, time is running out for Pakistan’s ruling elite. Only outside intervention can now resolve the significant crisis in the country. It further read that according to the petitioner, there should be mutual respect and understanding between the political parties participating in the general elections.[35]

The chief justice of Pakistan’s supreme court has stood by its decision to order elections next month in its most populous province, a move that pits the judiciary against the country’s government and the military establishment.

The court has announced elections in Punjab for 14 May after declaring a delay to the vote unconstitutional and rejecting a petition from the defense ministry to instead hold elections simultaneously across the country later, amid deteriorating security and economic conditions.”[36]

Today, the Supreme Court is faced with an adamant government and military. But if they back down now, especially after meeting top military officials, the bench will be faced with allegations that they were cowed down by the military,” he said.

Kugelman said the current standoff was set in motion by Khan, who could have focused on preparing for elections after his removal from office.

“Instead, he rejected his ouster – though it was a constitutional move – alleged a global conspiracy, galvanized his base, and dissolved two provincial assemblies in a gamble to get early elections,” he said. “But he rolled the dice and lost, and now it’s landed the country in a constitutional crisis – a dangerous distraction amid an economic meltdown and resurgent terrorism.”[37]

He added: “This latest crisis is about upholding the constitution. The judiciary believes that delaying elections would be unconstitutional. And so, if the civilian and military leadership, who are on one page, refuse to hold polls on time, they can be accused of trampling on the constitution, and that is highly worrisome for democracy. Some analysts believe the government would build a consensus with Khan. If Sharif and his party negotiated with Khan, it would mean a surrender for them, as both parties are fighting over Punjab province.

If the government fails to build a consensus or reach negotiations with the opposition to decide a date for the election, the court can disqualify the prime minister for contempt of court, as the court has disqualified premiers in the past.[38]

Today, Pakistan is at a historic crossroads, as never before in history. National institutions are at loggerheads over the issue of provincial elections and the powers of the Chief Justice. Pakistan's legal fraternity has expressed its full support to the Constitution and the Supreme Court of Pakistan and demanded that election to the Punjab and KP assemblies should be held immediately, as per the dictates of the Constitution and orders of the apex court. Numerous civil rights groups also support the lawyer's initiative Welcome development, indeed. Nevertheless, the PDM Government and the military think otherwise. Great tension in Pakistán resultantly.

Can the political parties of Pakistan, civil society organizations, and the legal fraternity ever unite to curtail the political role of the immensely powerful military? That is the million-dollar question in today’s Pakistan. The answer is obvious. Not at all. So much for the pretensions of democracy in Pakistan.

As expected, the constitution of Pakistan has been empowered by the historic Supreme Court April 4 ruling. The court upheld the Rule of Law and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which is being trampled by the PDM government backed by the military. The Supreme Court upheld the demand of the Opposition PTI to hold elections in KP and Punjab within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies, as per the law. That much is a great development certainly. The public stood with the Supreme Court of Pakistan on the occasion. The Supreme Court has now forever buried the infamous "Doctrine of Necessity" in Pakistan.

The scheduled provincial elections in Punjab will be held on May 14, as per Pakistan’s Constitution. A historic Supreme Court judgment, indeed. This matters a lot as it strengthens democracy by empowering the people who are supreme in the political system.

The Punjab elections will be the vital first step to a new era of relative political stability in the country. However, the PDM government does not want these elections because of their unpopularity. Not a good reason by any stretch of the imagination. The Supreme Court will now ensure that they happen, however. Meanwhile, The Election Commission of Pakistan has given a new schedule, This was expected. The federal bureaucracy will comply with the Supreme Court’s directives, no matter what the PDM government wants. This will be a victory for the Opposition PTI. The hybrid system is dysfunctional and needs to be replaced by a thriving democracy. There is an urgent need to strengthen the foundation of democracy which is through the next round of elections beginning with Punjab on May 14 to be followed by KPK sometime in June most probably. The Supreme Court has not decided on the date yet, though. Notwithstanding the desires of the vastly unpopular PDM government and the military, elections will be held in Punjab on May 14 to be followed by KPK sometime in June. The United States for its part has supported this move. Since Pakistan desperately desires the stalled IMF bailout this is to be considered important. Pakistan’s other friends like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and China also desperately desire to see a stable country. The sooner the political crisis is resolved the better for Pakistan.

This is a catch-22 situation for Pakistan if there ever was one. The IMF says that Saudi Arabia, and other friends, must help now before they release the tranche money themselves. Meanwhile, Saudis say that Pakistan must get the IMF deal first. Meanwhile, internal conflict is now wrecking the country. Military interference continues unabated. The PDM Government is both ineffective and clueless to resolve the matter. Pakistan's ruling elite should have seen it coming. But that is expecting too much from a mediocre and callous elite. Something must give. Real crisis.

The PDM Govt in Pakistan is bent on crushing the Opposition PTI as it fears its increasing popularity. Ridiculous allegations of terrorist activity are being leveled against Imran Khan the party’s leader. The PDM govt does not count in today's Pakistan. The real power is vested with the powerful military brass. Can Pakistan come out of the grave political crisis on its own? No chance at all. Now it is up to its friends to step in and resolve the conflict tearing the country. Given the grave economic crisis, Pakistan has little time left for that to happen.

Given Pakistan’s tragic history, it bears repetition that a military has no role in a country’s politics. Simple as that. Can the political parties of Pakistan create an alternate political system.? There is no evidence that they can. They have no democracy within them.

Pakistan is a mess. There is a crisis of leadership in Pakistan. There is no stateman guide. That is the real tragedy of the country. Nevertheless, Pakistan must move on. Hoping against hope now.

This is a catch-22 situation for Pakistan if there ever was one. The IMF says that Saudi Arabia, and other friends, must help now before they release the tranche money themselves. Meanwhile, Saudis say that Pakistan must get the IMF deal first. Meanwhile, internal conflict is now wrecking the country. Military interference continues unabated. The PDM Government is both ineffective and clueless to resolve the matter. Pakistan's ruling elite should have seen it coming. But that is expecting too much from a mediocre and callous elite. Something must give. Real crisis.

The PDM Govt in Pakistan is bent on crushing the Opposition PTI as it fears its increasing popularity. Ridiculous allegations of terrorist activity are being leveled against Imran Khan the party’s leader. The PDM govt does not count in today's Pakistan. The real power is vested with the powerful military brass. Can Pakistan come out of the grave political crisis on its own? No chance at all. Now it is up to its friends to step in and resolve the conflict tearing the country. Given the grave economic crisis, Pakistan has little time left for that to happen.

Given Pakistan’s tragic history, it bears repetition that a military has no role in a country’s politics. Simple as that. Can the political parties of Pakistan create an alternate political system.? There is no evidence that they can. They have no democracy within them.

Pakistan is a mess. There is a crisis of leadership in Pakistan. There is no stateman guide. That is the real tragedy of the country. Nevertheless, Pakistan must move on. Hoping against hope now.

Today, the country faces a profound governance crisis because of an ineffective, weak, and corrupt government brought into power by the powerful military and effectively sustained by it too. Political instability is leading to economic instability, and not the other way around. The country faces a slow implosion now. Thus, the announcement of the May 14 Punjab provincial election is a good development for Pakistan. It is hoped that they take place peacefully and are accepted by all. That would be good news for the country suffering from a complex and deep crisis.

Pakistan’s hybrid system is dysfunctional. There is an urgent need to strengthen the foundation of democracy, which is the Constitution. The constitution empowers the people who are supreme in a democracy. Therefore, there is a need to bury the infamous "Doctrine of Necessity" forever in Pakistan. The Supreme Court of Pakistan will just do that today. The court will uphold the Rule of Law and the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which is being trampled by the PDM government backed by the military. The Supreme Court will uphold the demand of the Opposition PTI to hold elections in KP and Punjab within 90 days of the dissolution of the assembles. That much is certain. The public stands with the Supreme Court of Pakistan now

It can be easily predicted that scheduled provincial elections will be held with some grace period, as per the requirements of the Election Commission of Pakistan, and as per the Constitution. A historic Supreme Court judgment is expected soon.

The PDM government in Pakistan, backed by the powerful military, is in a virtual standoff with the Supreme Court over the issue of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa general elections and a bill that seeks to restrict the Chief Justice's suo motu powers—never been witnessed in the history of parliamentary democracies worldwide. The country cannot continue like this as the economy suffers tremendously because of political instability. What will happen? Anyone’s guess now?

As expected, the Supreme Court on April 19, 2023, made it clear that it would not backtrack from its April 4 order to hold the elections in Punjab on May 14. The court reminded that it is an imperative obligation under Articles 112 and 224 of the Constitution to hold a general election to a provincial assembly within 90 days of its dissolution. The apex court also again warned the government of “serious consequences” if it failed to release the funds required for conducting polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The court requires that appropriate remedial measures be taken in full measure to make available the required Rs21 billion for the holding of the general elections to the Punjab and KP assemblies.

The PDM government, and the very powerful military, don’t want the election at all on the designated dates. Therefore, the election date can be extended to make the elections possible. Otherwise, it may not happen on May 14. The Supreme Court has also summoned the leaders or representatives of all political parties. There is still room for a political compromise of sorts. Given the immense power of the military, it must also be involved in the backstage of the grand compromise. Emphasis must be on peaceful, fair, and fair elections. Meanwhile, time is running out for Pakistan’s ruling elite. Only outside intervention can now resolve the significant crisis in the country. 

The prevailing political and economic crisis in Pakistan demands an immediate response. Nevertheless, the stakeholders, including the powerful military, are not capable of doing it on their own. The primary reason is their vested interests and lack of imagination for workable solutions to the country’s predicaments.

Is the PDM Govt going to ban PTI? If you cannot defeat them in the elections, then just ban them instead. Absurd arguments will make the rounds. A crisis in the making.

Notwithstanding Pakistan’s PDM Govt claims elections to the provincial assemblies in Punjab and KP will be held on schedule. The elections are the requirement of the law. The people demand them, and they will take place, as per the law. No lame excuses. No one can postpone them no matter what. Just watch now.

Meanwhile, the PDM Govt and the PTI are at a loggerhead breeding great tension in Pakistan.

Only friends of Pakistan, chiefly, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, and even the USA may be needed here to facilitate a workable solution to the current crisis. Friends need to help Pakistan. Otherwise, Pakistan is going to remain stuck in a deepening quagmire with horrific consequences for the entire region. The intervention sought now. Pakistan is facing a political crisis. The volatile situation has been defused only by court verdicts. Imran Khan, PTI leader, is now in Islamabad facing about a hundred court cases. As expected, he fears arrest and disqualification from contesting the coming elections. However, Imran Khan is upholding the symbolism of respecting the Rule of Law and fighting these mostly bogus allegations against him in various courts of the country. Today, this symbolism matters a lot as he is gaining public sympathy. Most importantly, the world is watching now and will note actions taken by the state authorities.

Notwithstanding Pakistan’s PDM Government’s apparent inclination to not hold elections as per the Supreme Court verdict, the people demand them, as per the law. Attempts to crush the Opposition forces do not make sense anymore. Is Pakistan descending into a direct military rule? Hope not for the sake of the country.

The litmus test of Pakistan’s sacred cows is whether the two provincial elections are held next month. It appears not. For the sake of Pakistan, they must be held as scheduled. Hoping against hope now.

The solution is adherence to the Rule of Law. It bears to repeat infinitely that no one, including the military, can stop the provincial elections from taking place next month. The Supreme Court verdict must be implemented, no matter what. All are subordinate to the doctrine of the Rule of Law, with no exceptions. There are no sacred cows in Pakistan. The will of the people is supreme. However, establishing a democratic foundation in the country is no easy task. Given Pakistan’s history, building it will need time and earnest effort.

The PDM government in Pakistan is bent on crushing the Opposition PTI as it fears its increasing popularity. Ridiculous allegations of terrorist activity are being leveled against Imran Khan the party’s leader. The PDM govt does not count in today's Pakistan. The real power is vested with the powerful military brass. Can Pakistan come out of the grave political crisis on its own? No chance at all. Now it is up to its friends to step in and resolve the conflict tearing the country. Given the grave economic crisis, Pakistan has little time left for that to happen.

Given Pakistan’s tragic history, it bears repetition that a military has no role in a country’s politics. Can the political parties of Pakistan create an alternate political system.? There is no evidence that they can. They have no democracy within them.

Pakistan is a mess. There is a crisis of leadership in Pakistan. There is no stateman guide. That is the real tragedy of the country. Nevertheless, Pakistan must move on.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is also facing a severe economic crisis requiring immediate attention. The precarious nature of Pakistan’s economy requires swift action. Yet some hurdles remain in securing the IMF deal. The government of Pakistan must now fulfill the remaining IMF conditions immediately, and get it done. No choice in the matter now. The sooner the better. Simple as that.

This is a catch-22 situation for Pakistan if there ever was one. The IMF says that Saudi Arabia, and other friends, must help now before they release the tranche money themselves. Meanwhile, Saudis say that Pakistan must get the IMF deal first. Meanwhile, internal conflict is now wrecking the country. Military interference continues unabated. The PDM Government is both ineffective and clueless to resolve the matter. Pakistan's ruling elite should have seen it coming. But that is expecting too much from a mediocre and callous elite. Something must give. The real crisis in Pakistan. Hoping against hope now.

Debt servicing in Pakistan is now equaling its federal income. Not a good prospect at all. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s political instability is severely affecting its economy. Not that it is being managed wisely in the first place. But still, political stability is paramount and fundamental for economic stability.

There are opportunities now available for rapid economic growth because of recent Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with Iran.

Very recent developments in the Gulf vis a viz Saudi Arabia and Iran have occurred which can surely benefit neighboring Pakistan. But first Pakistan must put its own house in order. Will that happen anytime soon? There is little evidence of that yet. The ruling elite is not up to the task, to say the least. That much is unfortunate for the people.

There is an urgent need to adhere to the country’s constitution for workable solutions to the current crisis. It bears repetition that the military has no role in Pakistan’s political system at all. Let constitutional law prevail for once. Not likely to happen though. Hoping still.

Pakistan is facing a political crisis. The volatile situation has been defused only by court verdicts. Imran Khan, PTI leader, is now in Islamabad facing about a hundred court cases. As expected, he fears arrest and disqualification from contesting the coming elections. However, Imran Khan is upholding the symbolism of respecting the Rule of Law and fighting these mostly bogus allegations against him in various courts of the country. Today, this symbolism matters a lot as he is gaining public sympathy. Most importantly, the world is watching now and will note actions taken by the state authorities.

Notwithstanding Pakistan’s PDM Government’s apparent inclination to not hold elections as per the Supreme Court verdict, the people demand them, as per the law. Attempts to crush the Opposition forces do not make sense anymore. Is Pakistan descending into a direct military rule? Hope not for the sake of the country.

The litmus test of Pakistan’s sacred cows is whether the two provincial elections are held next month. It appears not. For the sake of Pakistan, they must be held as scheduled. Hoping against hope now.

The solution is adherence to the Rule of Law. It bears to repeat infinitely that no one, including the military, can stop the provincial elections from taking place next month. The Supreme Court verdict must be implemented, no matter what. All are subordinate to the doctrine of the Rule of Law, with no exceptions. There are no sacred cows in Pakistan. The will of the people is supreme. However, establishing a democratic foundation in the country is no easy task. Given Pakistan’s history, building it will need time and earnest effort.

The PDM government in Pakistan is bent on crushing the Opposition PTI as it fears its increasing popularity. Ridiculous allegations of terrorist activity are being leveled against Imran Khan the party’s leader. The PDM govt does not count in today's Pakistan. The real power is vested with the powerful military brass. Can Pakistan come out of the grave political crisis on its own? No chance at all. Now it is up to its friends to step in and resolve the conflict tearing the country. Given the grave economic crisis, Pakistan has little time left for that to happen.

Given Pakistan’s tragic history, it bears repetition that a military has no role in a country’s politics. Can the political parties of Pakistan create an alternate political system.? There is no evidence that they can. They have no democracy within them.

Pakistan is a mess. There is a crisis of leadership in Pakistan. There is no stateman guide. That is the real tragedy of the country. Nevertheless, Pakistan must move on.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is also facing a severe economic crisis requiring immediate attention. The precarious nature of Pakistan’s economy requires swift action. Yet some hurdles remain in securing the IMF deal. The government of Pakistan must now fulfill the remaining IMF conditions immediately, and get it done. No choice in the matter now. The sooner the better. Simple as that.

This is a catch-22 situation for Pakistan if there ever was one. The IMF says that Saudi Arabia, and other friends, must help now before they release the tranche money themselves. Meanwhile, Saudis say that Pakistan must get the IMF deal first. Meanwhile, internal conflict is now wrecking the country. Military interference continues unabated. The PDM Government is both ineffective and clueless to resolve the matter. Pakistan's ruling elite should have seen it coming. But that is expecting too much from a mediocre and callous elite. Something must give. The real crisis in Pakistan. Hoping against hope now.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan’s national institutions had deteriorated in the last decade. The overall record of Pakistan’s last National Assembly was poor. It had passed only 187 laws during its five-year tenure. [39] Also, Pakistan’s democratic institutions are fragile and need to be strengthened through patient and sustained efforts. It is done when there is the required political will. Pakistan’s overall governance form simply refutes democratic principles and practices. The personalized political system does not allow the building of any workable democratic institutions. The prevailing norm of loyalty to the political leader has superseded the much-needed ethics of professionalism, merit, proper administration of governed funds, neutral bureaucracy, and focus on national socio-economic development. The only thing that matters in government is unconditional loyalty to the political leadership. Thus, the political leadership dispenses largesse and favors the public instead of public rights and entitlements. The social contract has broken, and a patronage system has developed instead. The patronage system exists in full glare where the elected leadership bestows favors to only those who voted for them. Elections are a business and are also getting more expensive with the time. The whole environment of governance has been corrupted as money makes a disproportionate impact on election outcomes. The leadership that is elected in the electoral system was mostly transactional-minded. Meaning the elected leadership was only there to reap hay while the sun shines and pocket as much money as was possible under the circumstances. Notwithstanding some exceptions, the entire leadership of the country was now corrupted beyond imagination. Resultantly, new values entered the governed system of Pakistan. Sycophancy and timid behavior of the rulering circles and the bureaucracy that served them had all but destroyed the integrity of the entire system. Policymaking is on whims and becomes ineffective, as serious deliberations are not the norm anymore. Mistakes result as the leadership cannot see the whole picture, nor get professional advice speaking truth to power. Even figures are routinely fudged to present a better picture to the world. This is sorry is now a reality in Pakistan. How can Pakistan’s political leadership and military rulers turn the county into a modern civilized nation with a contemporary system of government? Pakistan society is failing to confront the daunting challenges facing it. How can the state face these challenges when some sections of it are even supporting Islamic extremism?

Unfortunately, the polarization in Pakistan’s politics has been accentuated and tension prevails now. The Sharif government must only focus on delivering good governance. It should not be obsessed with Imran Khan, as it will be bad for the country. Pakistan deserves better.

Notwithstanding Imran Khan’s outlandish political rhetoric, he should be allowed to continue with it. The Opposition march on Islamabad at month's end will be a great nuisance but certainly not wreck the Sharif Government. Maturity requires that the Opposition blasts, though without merit, be tolerated only because Pakistan is a democracy, though a fragile one. he Sharif coalition government is bent on overreaction to Imran Khan's protest politics. Such action an overreaction by the Sharif Government will create more chaos and anarchy in the country. Tolerance must be shown and let politics play out without state intervention. Wisdom must prevail. Simple as that.

On March 28, 2023, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) stated it is deeply concerned that this crisis has resulted in polarization across the political spectrum. The situation was triggered by events designed to stall the democratic process and undermine the efficacy and legitimacy of the parliament. One political party first abandoned the National Assembly and then dissolved two provincial assemblies. Others in government blocked the subsequent reversal of this move by thwarting the opposition’s attempt to return to the National Assembly.[40]

The HRCP on March 28, 2023, warned that the current political crisis was designed to “stall the democratic process” and undermine the efficacy and legitimacy of the parliament speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, HRCP Chairperson Hina Jilani demanded all politicians sit together and reso-lve issues to stre-ngthen the democratic process. She said political parties should also not look towards the Supreme Court and armed forces to resolve their problems and should sit together to amicably solve their issues. [41]

The HRCP also called for a consensus among all political parties and stakeholders on the rationale for the delay and to ensure that the “unwelcoming precedent” must not be repeated. “The crux of the ongoing crisis is political and not legal,” the commission said, adding that the government and the opposition have no option but to “hold serious and meaningful dialogue in the Parliament” to resolve their differences in the larger interests of the people. HRCP said the judicial overreach conflicted with the constitutional principle of the trichotomy of powers. [42]

On March 28, 2023, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan warned the government and “neutrals” that human rights violations can take an ugly turn if they did not mend their ways.

“I want to tell the ‘neutrals’ that free and fair elections are the only way forward as their strategy of threatening the public has badly failed and backfired,” the PTI chief said while addressing the nation via video link from his Zaman Park residence on March 28, 2023.[43]

The former premier reiterated that the responsibility of implementing the rule of law in the country was now on the shoulders of the legal fraternity. “The government is hatching a conspiracy to divide the superior judiciary for its interests,” he maintained.[44]

The former premier stressed that every Pakistani citizen had to raise his voice for the rule of law in the country otherwise the situation would further deteriorate, and provision of justice would become a distant dream from common citizens, and human rights violations would further increase.

The gross human rights violations witnessed in the last 11 months, Imran pointed out, were not witnessed in any democracy. The PTI chairman warned that the way the government and the establishment were trying to silence opposing voices and the deteriorating economic situation had pushed the country towards a dangerous point.

Torture on political workers and common citizens was increasing hatred among the masses and this situation could go to the point where nobody would be able to manage the situation. Imran pointed out that when he appeared for a hearing in the Islamabad court, the police and “unidentified” persons attacked his party workers to instigate violence. The same happened at the previous hearing.[45]

Amnesty International on March 29, 2023, raised concern over the disappearance of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) activist Azhar Mashwani who was “arrested and abducted” last week.

The NGO took to Twitter and stated that the organization is “alarmed by reports of the enforced disappearance of Azhar Mashwani, whose whereabouts remain unknown”.” Enforced disappearances have stained Pakistan's human rights record for decades and continue with impunity,” it added.[46]

The NGO, which focuses on human rights, urged the “government of Pakistan to immediately release all disappeared people or promptly bring them before a judge in a civilian court of law to rule on the awfulness of their arrest or detention and whether they should be released”.

A day earlier, the PTI announced it would raise the issue of cases filed against its leadership and the arrests of workers at the international level.

Pakistan's economic crisis demands bold actions by the Sharif Government. All lenders are looking up to the future IMF signal to assist the country. Therefore, Pakistan must adhere to the IMF conditionalities, sooner than later. Populist measures, though understandable, will not work.

Pakistan should strengthen its system of democracy because it was very deficient in countless ways and not functioning at all. The political paralysis was a result of these systematic faults. Islamic fundamentalism, poor governance, absence of democratic norms, intolerance in society, and inertia was the principal cause of the situation. Lack of political will to reform both state and society may be the single biggest reason for the mess. examine the deeper problem of bolstering the deficient, undemocratic decision-making structures. Due to the disinterest towards institutionalized decision-making by Pakistan’s rulers, it was hardly surprising that policy and decision-making of national importance remained personalized and incoherent. It was this very flaw that prevented the Government of Pakistan from conducting a truly national strategy. Until and unless there was an institutional decision-making process Pakistan would continue to lack intellectual content the country would always be faced with a crisis. Pakistan faced much larger challenges because of this poor policymaking.

Pakistan continues to suffer from an ineffective and inefficient bureaucracy and most importantly a political will to see a comprehensive agenda of reforms through to competition. Notwithstanding its pious declarations, the current Sharif Coalition government simply does not have the will to implement the reform agenda. Given the precarious nature of Pakistan’s economy, the Sharif coalition government has no choice but to adhere to IMF conditionalities, no matter how tough. Other lenders are watching to see whether the Pakistan government does so, as promised. The sooner the better. Pakistan's economic crisis demands bold actions by the Sharif Government. All lenders are looking up to the future IMF signal to assist the country. Therefore, Pakistan must adhere to the IMF conditionalities, sooner than later. Populist measures, though understandable, will not work.

Notwithstanding Sharif Govt claims, Pakistan will not receive any funds from friendly countries. Meanwhile, Govt has agreed with IMF's demand to reduce fuel subsidies phase-wise. IMF has agreed to continued subsidies for the marginalized section of society. Pakistan faces profoundly serious governance challenges, and the new Sharif coalition government must focus on them. The attention should be on delivery alone and not Imran Khan. The people expect relief soon enough as they suffer from inflation and other economic issues.

Given the precarious nature of Pakistan’s economy, the Sharif coalition govt has no choice but to adhere to IMF conditionalities, no matter how tough. Other lenders are watching to see whether the Pakistan government does so, as promised. The sooner the better.

The Sharif coalition government is not at all ready to take bold decisions to stabilize the economy. The paralysis in decision-making is hurting Pakistan. A rainbow coalition is in power which makes it even more difficult. Did they expect smooth sailing once in power? Action needed. As of May 18, 2022, the Pakistani government had taken no action to meet IMF demands to revoke the very costly energy subsidies. It had failed to swallow the bitter pill. Meanwhile, the economic situation worsened.

Today, it is imperative that the Sharif government immediately needs to gain the trust of the international community to ensure a good deal with the IMF, and other international financial institutions. The country needs foreign help to stabilize its economy and therefore must take quick action in this area. Plus, it is in Pakistan’s national interest to eradicate the menace of money laundering and terrorist financing quickly. The country’s population had now crossed 224 million. Pakistan faces a horrendous situation as the rapid population growth is fueling massive rural-to-urban migration, the strain on the cities, and massive environmental degradation. People are suffering from a poor environment, lack of social services, and neglect of state institutions to respond to the situation in any coherent manner. Bad governance is the norm, not the exception in state institutions. The poverty gap is striking and is widening in many areas of the country. Pakistan is deficient in governance matters as public services are inadequate and there was immense poverty in the country. Today, Pakistan suffers from poor social indicators.

Meanwhile, the Shabaz Sharif coalition government faces daunting internal governance challenges of an overly complex nature. Pakistan faces an economic crisis and needs help from its Western allies, especially USA. It would be prudent to mend relations with America at the earliest possible because of various issues, especially the matter of the urgently needed IMF bailout revival. The Sharif coalition government must also try its best to improve relations with India. Peace with India will decrease the tensions in South Asia and provide Pakistan with access to the growing Indian market. It was time for a new beginning. Pakistan requires bold policy measures to chart the country on a trajectory of rapid economic development.

Given the political crisis, the PDM government, the military, and the PTI must compromise on their stated positions. As suggested by the Chief Justice of Pakistan elections can be held in July. For this to happen all stakeholders must meet and negotiate a compromise. Given Pakistan’s tragic history, which is expecting too much. The nation will suffer endlessly.

[1] Inflation at 50-year high in crisis-hit Pakistan, AFP, April 1, 2023,

Inflation at 50-year high in crisis-hit Pakistan (msn.com)

[2] Ibid

[3] Pakistan posts highest-ever annual inflation; stampedes for food kill 16.

Asif Shahzad ?April 1, 2023, Reuters

Pakistan posts highest-ever annual inflation; stampedes for food kill 16 (msn.com)

[4] IMF sticks to its guns on staff-level deal (tribune.com.pk)

Shahbaz Rana, Pakistan in breach of all fiscal targets, Express Tribune, April 13, 2023

[5] Ibid

[6] Shahbaz Rana, Pakistan in breach of all fiscal targets, Express Tribune, April 13, 2023

Pakistan is in breach of all fiscal targets (tribune.com.pk)

[7] Ibid

[8] Ibid

[9] Ibid

[10] Ibid

[11] Shahbaz Rana, “$6 billion financing plan remains elusive”, Express Tribune, April 14, 2023,

$6 billion financing plan remains elusive (tribune.com.pk)

[12] Ibid

[13] Ibid

[14] “ADB vows to support Pakistan's economic recovery, development plans,” Radio Pakistan, April 5, 2023, ADB vows to support Pakistan's economic recovery, and development plans (radio.gov.pk)

[15] Ibid

[16] Sophia Saifi, “An economic crisis in Pakistan means many are going hungry during Ramadan,” CNN.com, April 19, 2023

An economic crisis in Pakistan means many are going hungry during Ramadan (msn.com)

[17] Ibid

[18] Ibid

[19] “In Pakistan, Economic Crisis Mutes Ramadan Celebrations”, New York Times, April 17, 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/world/asia/pakistan-economy-ramadan.html

[20] IMF forecasts Pakistan’s economy to slump, inflation to rise | Business and Economy News | Al Jazeera, IMF forecasts Pakistan’s economy to slump, inflation to rise.

[21] Ibid

[22]

Salman Siddiqui, “IMF struggles to find trustworthy partners,” Express Tribune, April 20, 2023, IMF struggles to find trustworthy partners (tribune.com.pk)

[23] Ibid

[24] Ibid

[25] Ibid

[26] Ibid

[27] PTI. “Pakistan court grants interim bail to Imran Khan in seven cases”,, msn.com, March 27, 2023,Pakistan court grants interim bail to Imran Khan in seven cases (msn.com)

[28] Ibid

[29][29] “Politicians stick to their guns on poll”, Express Tribune, April 21, 2023

Politicians stick to their guns at polls (tribune.com.pk)

Sohail Khan. “Govt, PTI in talks on the election date, SC told”, The News, April 21, 2023

Govt, PTI in talks on election date, SC told (thenews.com.pk)

[30] Ibid

[31] Khalid Mehmood, “Bilawal woos Fazl for talks with PTI,” Pakistan Today, April 20, 2023

Bilawal woos Fazl for talks with PTI (tribune.com.pk)

[32] Ibid

[33]

Syed Irfan Raza, Muhammad Irfan Mughal, “Ruling allies say no to talks ‘at gunpoint.” Dawn, April 21, 2023, Ruling allies say no to talks ‘at gunpoint’ - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

[34] Ibid

[35] “SC summons political leadership in poll delay case”, Express Tribune, April 19, 2023

SC summons political leadership in poll delay case (tribune.com.pk)

[36] Shah Meer Baloch, “Pakistan’s Punjab elections to go ahead as court confirms ruling”, The Guardian, April 20, 2023

Pakistan’s Punjab elections to go ahead as court confirms ruling | Pakistan | The Guardian

[37] Ibid

[38] Ibid

[39] NA passed record 187 laws in last 5 years: speaker, May 31, 2018

https://nation.com.pk/31-May-2018/na-passed-record-187-laws-in-last-5-years-speaker, accessed May 31, 2018

[40] Judiciary must avoid interfering in the domain of other institutions: HRCP, March 29, 2023,The judiciary must avoid interfering in domain of other institutions: HRCP (thenews.com.pk)

[41] Imran Gabol. “Parties should sit together for the sake of democracy, Dawn, March 29, 2023, Parties should sit together for sake of democracy: HRCP - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

[42] Ibid

[43] Imran Adnan. “Govt hatching conspiracy to divide judiciary: Imran”, Express Tribune, March 29, 2023,Govt hatching conspiracy to divide judiciary: Imran (tribune.com.pk)

[44] Ibid

[45] Imran Adnan. “Govt hatching conspiracy to divide judiciary: Imran”, Express Tribune, March 29, 2023,Govt hatching conspiracy to divide judiciary: Imran (tribune.com.pk)

Ibid

[46] Amnesty raises concern over the disappearance of PTI activist, Express Tribune, March 29, 2023,Amnesty raises concern over the disappearance of PTI activist (tribune.com.pk)

March 29, 2023