Islamabad,Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s currency plummeted to an all-time record low in intraday trading against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, amid uncertainty about the success of crucial talks between the International Monetary Fund and the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif who is considering massive new taxation to avoid a default.According to the central bank, the rupee slid to 200 against the U.S. dollar, showing a steady decline in the value of this Islamic nation’s currency. The latest development comes a day after Pakistan opened talks with IMF in Doha to revive the $6 billion bailout package, which has been on hold since ex-premier Imran Khan's government was ousted in April.Since then, the rupee has lost value against the U.S. dollar by 13 percent.According to a government statement, Pakistan's Finance Minister Miftah Ismail is leading its talks with the IMF. It said these talks, which started on Wednesday, will conclude next week.Pakistan and the IMF originally signed the accord in 2019, but the release of a key installment had been on hold since earlier this year. That’s when the fund expressed reservations about a delay in Pakistan’s compliance with the conditions of the bailout by the former premier Khan's government.

Pakistani rupee drops to record low amid talks with IMF

Pakistan

ShahbazSharif

Doha

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan beefed up security around former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday, the interior ministry said, two days after he had claimed at a rally in eastern Punjab province that there was a plot to assassinate him.The ministry said in a statement that dozens of policemen, along with paramilitary troops, have been assigned to Khan’s Islamabad residence. Security forces would also escort Khan whenever he leaves Islamabad for any part of the country, the ministry said.In his speech at the rally in the city of Sialkot on Saturday, Khan did not elaborate on the alleged plot against him but claimed he had recorded a video message detailing it all. Khan’s supporters have held rallies across the country since last month, when he was ousted by the opposition through a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. He was replaced by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.Sharif on Monday also ordered maximum security arrangements for Khan, according to a separate government statement.Khan lost the grip on power after his party allies and a key coalition partner defected in early April. Since his ouster, he has demanded new elections, claiming Sharif's government was imposed under an alleged U.S. plot. Washington has denied Khan's conspiracy claims, and Sharif's government has also dismissed them. Pakistan has seen an uptick in militant attacks. On Sunday, a suicide bomber struck near a vehicle belonging to the security forces in the country's northwest, killing three soldiers and three children. Gunmen in the city of Peshawar killed two members of the minority Sikhs community. On Monday, the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the rare attack on Sikhs.

Pakistan ups security for ex-PM Khan over deadly plot claims

ImranKhan

Washington

Sammya Mukhopadhyay

New Delhi, Delhi, India

Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Friday night as protests over the island nation’s burgeoning economic crisis threatened to destabilise the political leadership. In Pakistan, the political leadership has already been destabilised with Imran Khan being ousted from power. The primary accusation against him is of economic mismanagement. Nepal isn’t in good shape either and the less said about Afghanistan and Myanmar the better. India is reeling under high inflation and China, the world’s second largest economy, is facing financial trouble due to its COVID curbs. ,All in all, it’s not a good time to be in South Asia. ,The current crises are not of the pandemic’s making. All that the pandemic did was to exacerbate the problems requiring them to be addressed immediately. While the scale and impact of the current crisis is reminding many of the South East Asian economic crisis 25 years ago, the clear distinction between the two is that South East Asia was plunged into an economic crisis but South Asia’s crisis has been long in the making. ,Sri Lanka ,The island nation is facing a balance of payment crisis compounded by a severe foreign exchange shortage. Foreign exchange reserves are extremely low and the government is finding it difficult to import food, fuel and essential medicines. Thousands of people are out on the streets calling for the Rajapaksas, the family at the helm of Sri Lanka’s political affairs, to go. ,As “Go Gota Go” slogans (Gota is a reference to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) fill the air, the government, at a loss about how to solve the economic crisis, is cracking down on protestors. Sri Lankan authorities are said to have used force, including the use of tear gas and arbitrary detentions, to quell peaceful assemblies, according to an Amnesty International report titled, “From Bad to Worse: Rights Under Attack During Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis.” ,Pakistan ,Imran Khan, who came to power in Pakistan with the promise to rid the country of the corrupt elite in control of resources, has the active distinction of being that Pakistani leader under whom the nation’s GDP plunged below Bangladesh’s. In the four years Imran Khan was in power, Pakistan’s GDP fell from $315 billion to $292 million, according to a report in The Hindu Business Line. ,Now, with Khan having been ousted, the fate of Pakistan lies with Shahbaz Sharif. Sharif, brother of former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, has spearheaded the Sharif “Steel Empire.” But it remains to be seen how he manages Pakistan’s economy. ,Nepal ,The central discussion in South Asian geopolitics over the last week isn’t how to lift Nepal out of its economic crisis but is Nepal really in an economic crisis. A tourism-dependent country, Nepal’s economy did take a deadly blow on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. But is Nepal going the Sri Lanka way? Probably not right now. ,Nepal’s foreign exchange reserves have been dwindling since July 2021 since the fall of the KP Sharma Oli government. Forex reserves dropped from $11.75 billion in mid-July 2021 to $9.75 billion in February 2022. The amount is only enough to pay import bills for less than seven months the threshold set as a benchmark by the country’s central bank. India ,India, by all definitions, is not in the middle of an economic crisis. While the Russia-Ukraine war has put a stress on global supply chains that have impacted India, leading to higher crude prices that, among other factors, have led to inflation, India’s political system has remained steadfast and stable. ,However, the disturbances in the rest of South Asia are bound to have an impact on one of world’s fastest-growing economies. India is sending help to its neighbouring nations, including Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Nepal. But domestically, the country is seeing high unemployment and a rise in communal violence, which while not causing active dissonance in society threatens to put India in the middle-income trap. ,China ,China’s troubles, are of course, different from the rest of the countries. A superpower in all its senses, the Chinese economy is quite literally too big to fail. But it’s not as if Beijing is without its stresses. President Xi Jinping’s zero-COVID policy has but China’s businesses under considerable strain. ,Xi has refused to compromise on his strongman persona ahead of scoring the third term as president, but businesses in China are reeling under heightened government regulation in addition to the COVID curbs. Further, the fate of Chinese interests in Sri Lanka and Nepal also has a bearing on Beijing’s ability to maintain and increase its sphere of influence.

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The primary accusation against him is of economic\\nmismanagement. <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/nepal\\\">Nepal</a> isn’t in good shape either and the less said about\\n<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/afghanistan\\\">Afghanistan</a> and Myanmar the better. <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/india\\\">India</a> is reeling under high inflation and\\n<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/china\\\">China</a>, the world’s second largest economy, is facing financial trouble due to\\nits <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/covid\\\">COVID</a> curbs. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"All in all, it’s\\nnot a good time to be in South Asia. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The current crises\\nare not of the pandemic’s making. All that the pandemic did was to exacerbate\\nthe problems requiring them to be addressed immediately. While the scale and\\nimpact of the current crisis is reminding many of the South East Asian economic\\ncrisis 25 years ago, the clear distinction between the two is that South East\\nAsia was plunged into an economic crisis but South Asia’s crisis has been long\\nin the making. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Sri Lanka \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The island nation\\nis facing a balance of payment crisis compounded by a <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/sri-lanka-foreign-reserves-at-record-low-politics-in-crisis\\\">severe foreign exchange\\nshortage</a>. Foreign exchange reserves are extremely low and the government is\\nfinding it difficult to import food, fuel and essential medicines. <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/sri-lankan-president-gotabaya-rajapaksa-under-fire-for-imposing-emergency\\\">Thousands of\\npeople are out on the streets</a> calling for the Rajapaksas, the family at the helm\\nof Sri Lanka’s political affairs, to go. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"As “Go Gota Go”\\nslogans (Gota is a reference to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) fill\\nthe air, the government, at a loss about how to solve the economic crisis, is\\ncracking down on protestors. Sri Lankan authorities <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/sri-lanka-police-arrest-12-people-for-anti-govt-protest-near-parliament\\\">are said to have used\\nforce</a>, including the use of tear gas and arbitrary detentions, to quell\\npeaceful assemblies, according to an Amnesty International report titled, “From\\nBad to Worse: Rights Under Attack During Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis.” \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Pakistan \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/who-is-imran-khan\\\">Imran Khan</a>, who\\ncame to power in Pakistan with the promise to rid the country of the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/pakistan-govt-to-probe-imran-khans-claims-of-foreign-conspiracy-in-his-ouster\\\">corrupt\\nelite in control of resources</a>, has the active distinction of being that\\nPakistani leader under whom the nation’s <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/an-unstable-pakistan-is-good-news-for-none\\\">GDP plunged below Bangladesh’s</a>. In the\\nfour years Imran Khan was in power, Pakistan’s GDP fell from $315 billion to\\n$292 million, according to a report in The Hindu Business Line. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Now, with Khan having\\nbeen ousted, the fate of Pakistan lies with Shahbaz Sharif. Sharif, brother of\\nformer Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif, has spearheaded the Sharif “Steel Empire.” But\\nit remains to be seen how he manages Pakistan’s economy. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Nepal \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The central discussion\\nin South Asian geopolitics over the last week isn’t how to lift Nepal out of\\nits economic crisis but is Nepal really in an economic crisis. A tourism-dependent\\ncountry, Nepal’s economy did take a deadly blow on account of the COVID-19\\npandemic. But is Nepal going the Sri Lanka way? Probably not right now. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Nepal’s foreign\\nexchange reserves have been dwindling since July 2021 since the fall of the KP\\nSharma Oli government. Forex reserves dropped from $11.75 billion in mid-July\\n2021 to $9.75 billion in February 2022. The amount is only enough to pay import\\nbills for less than seven months the threshold set as a benchmark by the\\ncountry’s central bank.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"India \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"India, by all\\ndefinitions, is not in the middle of an economic crisis. While the\\nRussia-Ukraine war has put a stress on global supply chains that have impacted\\nIndia, leading to higher crude prices that, among other factors, have led to\\ninflation, India’s political system has remained steadfast and stable. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"However, the\\ndisturbances in the rest of South Asia are bound to have an impact on one of\\nworld’s fastest-growing economies. India is sending help to its neighbouring\\nnations, including Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Nepal. But domestically, the\\ncountry is seeing high unemployment and a rise in communal violence, which\\nwhile not causing active dissonance in society threatens to put India in the\\nmiddle-income trap. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"China \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"China’s troubles,\\nare of course, different from the rest of the countries. A superpower in all\\nits senses, the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/chinese\\\">Chinese</a> economy is quite literally too big to fail. But it’s\\nnot as if <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/beijing\\\">Beijing</a> is without its stresses. President Xi Jinping’s zero-COVID\\npolicy has but China’s businesses under considerable strain. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Xi has refused to\\ncompromise on his strongman persona ahead of scoring the third term as\\npresident, but businesses in China are reeling under heightened government\\nregulation in addition to the COVID curbs. Further, the fate of Chinese\\ninterests in Sri Lanka and Nepal also has a bearing on Beijing’s ability to\\nmaintain and increase its sphere of influence. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;\"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency on Friday</li>
 <li>Nepal’s forex reserves have been on the decline since July, 2021</li>
 <li>Pakistan’s economic troubles led to the ouster of Imran Khan</li>
</ul>

Opoyi Central

In the making: A South Asian economic crisis?

Covid

Bangladesh

China

Russia

Chinese

Afghanistan

SriLanka

India

Nepal

Beijing

AmnestyInternational

XiJinping

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A court in Islamabad on Thursday asked Pakistan’s intelligence agency and the police to stop harassing a prominent TV anchor after his lawyer petitioned the court, saying his client’s fundamental rights were being violated by security officials. The order by Athar Minallah, chief justice at the Islamabad High Court, followed journalist Arshad Sharif’s petition. Sharif's lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, said the judge also summoned police representatives and those from the Federal Investigation Agency to appear before him on Friday to explain their position. Sharif’s talk show POWERPLAY airs Monday to Thursday on the ARY news channel, which has been critical of Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The TV anchor's family said security officers appeared before dawn on Thursday at their home to arrest Arshad Sharif but left after they were told he was not there. It remained unclear on what charges the officers wanted to arrest Sharif. There was no immediate comment from the government.Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif was elected earlier this month after the ouster of former cricket star turned premier Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the lower house of parliament. Pakistan has long been an unsafe country for journalists. In 2020, it ranked ninth on the Committee to Protect Journalists’ annual Global Impunity Index, which assesses countries where journalists are regularly killed and the assailants go free.

Pakistan court asks intel agency to stop harassing TV anchor

Islamabad

Islamabad, Pakistan

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will take oath as Pakistan's foreign minister in a day or two, a senior party leader said on Saturday, ending speculation that all allies of the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are not on the same page. The Bhutto-Zardari family's 33-year-old scion who is the front-runner for the coveted post of the foreign minister did not take the oath on Tuesday, giving rise to speculation about his reluctance to join the new government. Also read: Over 75,000 Indians break Pakistan's decade old record in Bihar. Check details, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, in a conversation with journalists on London confirmed that Bilawal will take oath as the foreign minister in a day or two, the Geo News reported. A day after he excused himself from taking the oath as the foreign minister, Bilawal headed to London where he met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif during which they discussed the overall political situation in Pakistan and vowed to work together on issues pertaining to politics and national interest. Also read: Pakistan reports 1st polio case in 15 months, PM to chair emergency meet on April 25, PPP and PML-N -- the two main political parties -- have been alternatively in power when the military was not ruling the country. The powerful Army has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75 plus years of existence. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had earlier assured that the PPP Chairman would take the oath after he returns to Pakistan. Kaira told reporters that Bilawal had left for Pakistan after he held two meetings with the PML-N supremo to exchange views on political matters, the Geo report said. Also read: Afghan militants kill 3 Pakistani soldiers in cross-border firefight, PPP is the second largest party in the current coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who was appointed on April 11. In their last meeting, Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal — the two key allies in the ruling coalition — discussed ways forward after a constitutional victory for democracy, the rule of law and supremacy of parliament and agreed to work closely to repair the rot across the board, read a joint statement. The joint statement said that during the meeting both leaders agreed that they have accomplished a great deal whenever they work together. Matters relating to the broad roadmap for the future with the consensus of all democratic forces and the unfinished business left on the Charter of Democracy were also discussed in the meeting. Also read: Afghan IS group claims series of bombings targeting Shiites, “It was also agreed that high-level summitry is needed to brainstorm the path ahead for a new charter,” read the statement. Although there was speculation that PPP wanted more stake in the government, sources privy to the meeting confirmed that Bilawal and Nawaz Sharif did not discuss anything related to the posts of Senate, Punjab governor or presidency during their meetings, the Geo report said. Nawaz Sharif -- against whom several corruption cases were launched by the government of former prime minister Imran Khan -- had left for London in November 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment. The 72-year-old former prime minister had given an undertaking to the Lahore High Court to return to Pakistan, citing his record to face the process of law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. Nawaz Sharif was also given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving seven-year imprisonment in Lahore's high-security Kot Lakhpat jail.

{\"time\":1650760638590,\"strCount\":4791,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"PPP Chairman <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/who-is-bilawal-bhutto\\\">Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari</a> will take oath as Pakistan's foreign minister in a day or two, a senior party leader said on Saturday, ending speculation that all allies of the government led by Prime Minister <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-new-pm-candidate\\\">Shehbaz Sharif</a> are not on the same page.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" The Bhutto-Zardari family's 33-year-old scion who is the front-runner for the coveted <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/bilawal-bhutto-to-be-next-foreign-minister-of-pakistan-suggests-report\\\">post of the foreign minister</a> did not take the oath on Tuesday, giving rise to speculation about his reluctance to join the new government.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/over-75000-indians-break-pakistans-decade-old-record-in-bihar-check-details\\\">Over 75,000 Indians break Pakistan's decade old record in Bihar. Check details</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" Qamar Zaman Kaira, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and Adviser to the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/pakistan-opposition-leader-shahbaz-sharif-elected-as-the-prime-minister\\\">Prime Minister</a> on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, in a conversation with journalists on London confirmed that Bilawal will take oath as the foreign minister in a day or two, the Geo News reported.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" A day after he excused himself from taking the oath as the foreign minister, Bilawal headed to London where he met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/faux-pas-in-pak-parliament-speaker-confuses-shehbaz-sharif-with-nawaz-sharif-1\\\">Nawaz Sharif</a> during which they discussed the \\\"overall political situation\\\" in Pakistan and vowed to work together on issues pertaining to politics and national interest.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/pakistan-reports-1st-polio-case-in-15-months-pm-to-chair-emergency-meet-on-april-25\\\">Pakistan reports 1st polio case in 15 months, PM to chair emergency meet on April 25</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" PPP and PML-N -- the two main political parties -- have been alternatively in power when the military was not ruling the country. The powerful Army has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75 plus years of existence.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had earlier assured that the PPP Chairman would take the oath after he returns to Pakistan.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" Kaira told reporters that Bilawal had left for Pakistan after he held two meetings with the PML-N supremo to exchange views on political matters, the Geo report said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/afghan-militants-kill-3-pakistani-soldiers-in-cross-border-firefight\\\">Afghan militants kill 3 Pakistani soldiers in cross-border firefight</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" PPP is the second largest party in the current coalition government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who was appointed on April 11.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" In their last meeting, Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal — the two key allies in the ruling coalition — discussed ways forward after a \\\"constitutional victory for democracy, the rule of law and supremacy of parliament\\\" and agreed to work closely to \\\"repair the rot across the board,\\\" read a joint statement.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" The joint statement said that during the meeting both leaders agreed that they have accomplished a great deal whenever they work together.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" Matters relating to the broad roadmap for the future with the consensus of all democratic forces and the unfinished business left on the \\\"Charter of Democracy\\\" were also discussed in the meeting.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/english/afghan-is-group-claims-series-of-bombings-targeting-shiites-1\\\">Afghan IS group claims series of bombings targeting Shiites</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" “It was also agreed that high-level summitry is needed to brainstorm the path ahead for a new charter,” read the statement.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" Although there was speculation that PPP wanted more stake in the government, sources privy to the meeting confirmed that Bilawal and Nawaz Sharif did not discuss anything related to the posts of Senate, Punjab governor or presidency during their meetings, the Geo report said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" Nawaz Sharif -- against whom several corruption cases were launched by the government of former prime minister Imran Khan -- had left for London in November 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\" The 72-year-old former prime minister had given an undertaking to the Lahore High Court to return to Pakistan, citing his record to face the process of law and justice within four weeks or as soon as he is declared healthy and fit to travel by doctors. Nawaz Sharif was also given bail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case in which he was serving seven-year imprisonment in Lahore's high-security Kot Lakhpat jail. \"}}]}

Sucharita Ganguly

<ul>
 <li>PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will take oath as Pakistan's foreign minister in a day or two, a senior party leader said</li>
 <li>A day after he excused himself from taking the oath as the foreign minister, Bilawal headed to London to meet Nawaz Sharif</li>
 <li>Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had earlier assured that the PPP Chairman would take the oath after he returns</li>
</ul>

Bilawal Bhutto to take oath as Pak foreign minister in a day or two, confirms PPP leader

BilawalBhutto

primeminister

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A committee of Pakistan's top political and military leaders said Friday that former Prime Minister Imran Khan's claims that he was ousted from power by a foreign plot are untrue. The statement issued by the National Security Committee aimed to put an official end to the claims by Khan, who has repeatedly said the United States conspired to oust him from power with the help of his political rivals. Khan was forced from office by a no-confidence vote about two weeks ago. On Thursday at a rally in the eastern city of Lahore, he demanded snap elections and again blamed his removal on a foreign conspiracy.The Committee said in a statement that an investigation had shown that the country's security agencies “have found no evidence of any conspiracy.”Khan was was removed from power on April 10 and replaced by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He chaired the Committee meeting where the matter was discussed on Friday.

Pakistan leaders say no foreign plot in ex-PM Khan's removal

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Cabinet of Pakistan's newly-elected prime minister, Shahbaz Sharif, was sworn in Tuesday during a brief ceremony. Acting President Sadiq Sanjrani administered the oath to the 34 ministers at the white marble palace known as the Presidency in the capital, Islamabad. Sharif also attended the ceremony. His election April 11 ousted former prime minister Imran Khan.Sharif's former political rivals are also part of his coalition government. The portfolios for the ministers are expected to be announced later Tuesday.Among prominent lawmakers who were inducted into the Cabinet is Khawaja Mohammad Asif, a former defense minister and a member of the Pakistan Muslim League party. Several politicians from the party of former President Asif Ali Zardari are also part of the Cabinet, including Khursheed Shah and Sherry Rehman.Sharif ousted Khan through a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly, Pakistan's lower house of parliament. Khan lost the grip on power after being deserted by his party allies and a key coalition partner earlier this month.Since then, Khan has demanded new elections at rallies, saying the new government was imposed under a US conspiracy, a charge Washington has denied, and which the new government in Pakistan says was a pack of lies.

Pakistan's new Cabinet sworn in at presidency in Islamabad

Cabinet

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan fired off a sharp warning Sunday to Afghanistan's hard-line religious rulers to stop sheltering homegrown Pakistani Taliban militants who have staged increasingly deadly attacks against the country’s military.The warning followed Afghan reports that Pakistani aircraft late Friday carried out bombing raids in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost and Kunar provinces, killing civilians.Pakistan has so far refused to comment on the Afghan allegations, instead accusing the Afghan Taliban of doing nothing to stop attacks against Pakistan by militants in Afghanistan.Terrorists are using Afghan soil with impunity to carry out activities inside Pakistan, said the Foreign Ministry statement that was unusually harsh in its language. Pakistan was often accused of harboring Afghanistan's Taliban fighters before they swept to power last August as America ended its 20-year war. Since their takeover, Islamabad has led the way in pressing the world to engage with the religiously driven Afghan government. It's not clear, however, whether Pakistan's new Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will be as supportive of the Afghan Taliban as was his predecessor Imran Khan, a cricket star turned conservative Islamist leader, who was ousted last weekend in a politically tumultuous no-confidence vote.On Saturday the Taliban Foreign Ministry called in Pakistan's ambassador to complain of civilians killed in the bombing raids it said happened late Friday, killing refugees in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar and Khost provinces.Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid warned Pakistan “not to test the patience of Afghans on such issues and not repeat the same mistake again otherwise it will have bad consequences.” He did not elaborate on the consequences or the numbers of people killed.Afghanistan's largest news channel, TOLO News, showed images of children's bodies it said were killed in the airstrike. The same channel showed protests by hundreds of residents of eastern Khost province condemning Pakistan and shouting anti-Pakistan slogans.Pakistan has not confirmed any attack on Afghanistan and Sunday's statement slams the Taliban rulers for doing too little to stop Pakistani Taliban militants using its territory to attack Pakistan.“In the last few days, incidents along Pak - Afghan Border have significantly increased, wherein, Pakistani security forces are being targeted from across the border,” said the Pakistani statement. Last week, seven Pakistani military personnel were killed in an ambush near the border later claimed by Pakistani Taliban known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP.Militant attacks in Pakistan have been accelerating since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan. The attacks have been claimed either by the Pakistani Taliban or by an Islamic State group affiliate, also headquartered in Afghanistan, but against whom the Taliban have been fighting.By late March this year, Pakistan had seen 52 attacks by militants, compared to 35 in the same period last year, according to Amir Rana, executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, an independent think tank that monitors militant activity in Pakistan. The attacks have also gotten deadlier. So far this year in Pakistan, 155 people have been killed in such attacks, compared to 68 last year.The border between the two countries, known as the Durrand Line, runs the length of the 2,670 kilometer (1,660-mile) dividing line. The Durrand line runs through the region's ethnic Pashtun population, often dividing tribes and families between the two countries. Established by the British in the 19th century, successive Afghan rulers have refused to recognize it as the official border, laying claim instead to Pakistani territory known as Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Province where ethnic Pashtuns dominate.Since taking power, Afghanistan's Taliban have clashed on several occasions with Pakistan over a border fence Islamabad is building .___Associated Press writer Tameem Akhgar in Islamabad contributed to this report.

Pakistan warns neighbor Afghanistan not to shelter militants

Taliban

America

ZabihullahMujahid

Months of economic discontent in Pakistan were capped by days of tense drama. When the week ended, one of the country's most charismatic prime ministers was ousted, and his replacement was a member of a prominent political dynasty. And the turmoil may not be over yet, with implications for the whole region. Veteran politician Shahbaz Sharif, the brother of a disgraced former premier, was sworn in Monday to head a coalition government of disparate parties spanning the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious. They also have a history of rivalry, and governing won't be easy. Sharif replaces Imran Khan, a beloved cricket star turned conservative Islamist politician who was toppled by a no-confidence vote, after a fight that went all the way to Pakistan's Supreme Court. ,A look at what happened and what may be ahead:,WHAT LED TO THE CHANGE?,On April 3, Khan sidestepped an initial no-confidence vote demanded by the opposition by dissolving parliament and calling early elections. The opposition, which accuses Khan of economic mismanagement, appealed to the Supreme Court. It ruled Khan’s move was illegal and the no-confidence vote went ahead early Sunday, removing him from power. Khan has tapped into anti-American sentiment in Pakistan since 9/11, accusing Washington of conspiring with his opponents to topple him because of his independent foreign policy. The U.S. State Department denies any involvement. Still, the change in government may be good news for the U.S. whose chaotic departure from neighboring Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover has left Washington in need of allies in the region. WHO MAKES UP THE GOVERNMENT NOW? ,The new government is a collection of disparate parties that have fought each other bitterly. The largest are Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by the son and husband of Benazir Bhutto, the slain former prime minister. Both are family-run and family-dominated, allowing no leadership challenges. The third biggest partner is the pro-Talban and radically religious Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan or Assembly of Clerics. Its religious schools are spread across the northwest, not far from the Afghan border, and have supplied soldiers to the Afghan Taliban and the homegrown Pakistani Taliban. The leaders of the JUI also are a family dynasty, led by Fazl-ur-Rahman. The leadership of all three parties are tainted by allegations of corruption. That includes Sharif, who was to have been indicted Monday on money-laundering charges. They deny the charges as politically motivated. They joined forces to oust Khan, but have little in common politically, other than an agenda to change election laws and realign constituencies to improve their chances in the next election, which must take place by summer 2023. They also are united against a return of Khan, who seeks to end Pakistan's dynastic politics. There are no guarantees their shared agendas will keep them together. Emboldened by nationwide rallies that brought out hundreds of thousands of his supporters Sunday, Khan also seems to want to force early elections through “street power.” That could lead to violence, because his base is made up mostly of a passionate younger generation. Even though the opposition ousted him by citing economic mismanagement, it's not clear if the new government has any easy solutions. HOW WILL THE CHANGE AFFECT U.S. POLICY IN PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN?,When asked after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan if Pakistan would aid the U.S. with territorial rights, Khan said: “Absolutely not.” saying his country would only be a partner in peace, but not in war.”,He was a strident critic of the U.S. war on terror after 9/11, a stand that resonates with many in Pakistan who feel they have been unjustly targeted and accused of “not doing enough” to stop the Taliban during Washington’s 20-year war in Afghanistan. About 80,000 Pakistani civilians died in militant attacks as a result of the war, and nearly 5,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed, according to Khan, even though no Pakistani or Afghan was involved in 9/11 attacks by al Qaida. Its leader, Osama bin Laden, found a safe haven in Afghanistan to plot the attacks and was killed while hiding in Pakistan in 2011. Khan has refused to give the U.S. any access to Pakistani territory or airspace for so-called “over- the-horizon” attacks on Islamic State targets in Afghanistan. That strategy allows the U.S. keep its forces out of Afghanistan by using air power to strike militant targets where they find them. U.S. President Joe Biden did not have a phone call with Khan since his election, lending credence to the conspiracy theories of a rift between Islamabad and Washington. Khan says the U.S. wants a “subservient” Pakistan and opposes its warm relations with China and Russia. Khan's government pushed hard for the world to engage more with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and resisted U.S. attempts to punish them. Khan was deeply critical of Biden's decision to earmark $3.5 billion in Afghanistan's reserves held in the U.S. for the families of 9/11 victims. While Pakistan resisted recognition of the Taliban under Khan, it led efforts to move the world in that direction. He justified some of the Taliban's restrictive rules, such as stopping education for girls beyond the sixth grade, on tradition and culture. That raised the ire of many, even those in Afghanistan. Washington is likely to find more willing and like-minded partners among the new government in dealing with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers. WHAT ECONOMIC TROUBLES LIE AHEAD?,The opposition said Khan had failed to properly manage the economy, with both inflation and energy prices soaring. He tried last month to cut the price of gas at the pump by 10 Pakistani rupees (a few U.S. cents), but it's almost certain his successors will have to raise them again. Pakistan also is a net importer of oil and gas from Russia, which is waging war in Ukraine. The family of the new prime minister controls one of Pakistan's biggest business houses, owning sugar and steel mills. Sharif's win strengthened the Pakistani rupee from 86 to 82 to the dollar, and the troubled Karachi Stock Exchange made modest gains. Khan's government was praised internationally for managing the coronavirus pandemic with “smart lockdowns” that protected the important construction industry, which provides jobs to the poorest. His anti-corruption reputation encouraged Pakistanis abroad to send money home, returning $29.4 billion in 2020-21. That amount is expected to climb to $31 billion in 2021-22. But the economic future still looks bleak: The Islamic Development Bank expects Pakistan's gross domestic product to slow to 4% from 5.6% last year, and inflation is expected to rise from 8.9% in 2021 to about 11% this year. —-,Follow Kathy Gannon on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Kathygannon

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Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan

<ul>
 <li>Veteran politician Shahbaz Sharif was sworn in as new PM on Monday&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Shahbaz Sharif is the brother of a disgraced former premier</li>
 <li>Shahbaz Sharif replaces Imran Khan</li>
</ul>

What's ahead for politically volatile Pakistan?

Ukraine

JoeBiden

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Months of economic discontent in Pakistan were capped by days of tense drama. When the week ended, one of the country's most charismatic prime ministers was ousted, and his replacement was a member of a prominent political dynasty.And the turmoil may not be over yet, with implications for the whole region.Veteran politician Shahbaz Sharif, the brother of a disgraced former premier, was sworn in Monday to head a coalition government of disparate parties spanning the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious. They also have a history of rivalry, and governing won't be easy.Sharif replaces Imran Khan, a beloved cricket star turned conservative Islamist politician who was toppled by a no-confidence vote, after a fight that went all the way to Pakistan's Supreme Court. A look at what happened and what may be ahead:WHAT LED TO THE CHANGE?On April 3, Khan sidestepped an initial no-confidence vote demanded by the opposition by dissolving parliament and calling early elections. The opposition, which accuses Khan of economic mismanagement, appealed to the Supreme Court. It ruled Khan’s move was illegal and the no-confidence vote went ahead early Sunday, removing him from power.Khan has tapped into anti-American sentiment in Pakistan since 9/11, accusing Washington of conspiring with his opponents to topple him because of his independent foreign policy. The U.S. State Department denies any involvement.Still, the change in government may be good news for the U.S. whose chaotic departure from neighboring Afghanistan amid the Taliban takeover has left Washington in need of allies in the region.WHO MAKES UP THE GOVERNMENT NOW? The new government is a collection of disparate parties that have fought each other bitterly.The largest are Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by the son and husband of Benazir Bhutto, the slain former prime minister. Both are family-run and family-dominated, allowing no leadership challenges.The third biggest partner is the pro-Talban and radically religious Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Pakistan or Assembly of Clerics. Its religious schools are spread across the northwest, not far from the Afghan border, and have supplied soldiers to the Afghan Taliban and the homegrown Pakistani Taliban. The leaders of the JUI also are a family dynasty, led by Fazl-ur-Rahman.The leadership of all three parties are tainted by allegations of corruption. That includes Sharif, who was to have been indicted Monday on money-laundering charges. They deny the charges as politically motivated.They joined forces to oust Khan, but have little in common politically, other than an agenda to change election laws and realign constituencies to improve their chances in the next election, which must take place by summer 2023. They also are united against a return of Khan, who seeks to end Pakistan's dynastic politics. There are no guarantees their shared agendas will keep them together.Emboldened by nationwide rallies that brought out hundreds of thousands of his supporters Sunday, Khan also seems to want to force early elections through “street power.” That could lead to violence, because his base is made up mostly of a passionate younger generation.Even though the opposition ousted him by citing economic mismanagement, it's not clear if the new government has any easy solutions.HOW WILL THE CHANGE AFFECT U.S. POLICY IN PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN?When asked after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan if Pakistan would aid the U.S. with territorial rights, Khan said: “Absolutely not.” saying his country would only be a partner in peace, but not in war.”He was a strident critic of the U.S. war on terror after 9/11, a stand that resonates with many in Pakistan who feel they have been unjustly targeted and accused of “not doing enough” to stop the Taliban during Washington’s 20-year war in Afghanistan.About 80,000 Pakistani civilians died in militant attacks as a result of the war, and nearly 5,000 Pakistani soldiers have been killed, according to Khan, even though no Pakistani or Afghan was involved in 9/11 attacks by al Qaida. Its leader, Osama bin Laden, found a safe haven in Afghanistan to plot the attacks and was killed while hiding in Pakistan in 2011.Khan has refused to give the U.S. any access to Pakistani territory or airspace for so-called “over- the-horizon” attacks on Islamic State targets in Afghanistan. That strategy allows the U.S. keep its forces out of Afghanistan by using air power to strike militant targets where they find them.U.S. President Joe Biden did not have a phone call with Khan since his election, lending credence to the conspiracy theories of a rift between Islamabad and Washington. Khan says the U.S. wants a “subservient” Pakistan and opposes its warm relations with China and Russia.Khan's government pushed hard for the world to engage more with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and resisted U.S. attempts to punish them. Khan was deeply critical of Biden's decision to earmark $3.5 billion in Afghanistan's reserves held in the U.S. for the families of 9/11 victims.While Pakistan resisted recognition of the Taliban under Khan, it led efforts to move the world in that direction. He justified some of the Taliban's restrictive rules, such as stopping education for girls beyond the sixth grade, on tradition and culture. That raised the ire of many, even those in Afghanistan.Washington is likely to find more willing and like-minded partners among the new government in dealing with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers.WHAT ECONOMIC TROUBLES LIE AHEAD?The opposition said Khan had failed to properly manage the economy, with both inflation and energy prices soaring.He tried last month to cut the price of gas at the pump by 10 Pakistani rupees (a few U.S. cents), but it's almost certain his successors will have to raise them again. Pakistan also is a net importer of oil and gas from Russia, which is waging war in Ukraine.The family of the new prime minister controls one of Pakistan's biggest business houses, owning sugar and steel mills. Sharif's win strengthened the Pakistani rupee from 86 to 82 to the dollar, and the troubled Karachi Stock Exchange made modest gains.Khan's government was praised internationally for managing the coronavirus pandemic with “smart lockdowns” that protected the important construction industry, which provides jobs to the poorest. His anti-corruption reputation encouraged Pakistanis abroad to send money home, returning $29.4 billion in 2020-21. That amount is expected to climb to $31 billion in 2021-22.But the economic future still looks bleak: The Islamic Development Bank expects Pakistan's gross domestic product to slow to 4% from 5.6% last year, and inflation is expected to rise from 8.9% in 2021 to about 11% this year.—-Follow Kathy Gannon on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Kathygannon

#ShahbazSharif