What a month!

While February flew by quite quickly in comparison to January (which felt like it lasted a century), looking back at the month, it feels like the general elections that took place on February 8 happened ages ago… Time can really mind-boggling like that.

But, hold up! It has been one hell of a month in Pakistan’s politics for sure! Despite the polls, our federal government is yet to be formed; tensions between political parties aren’t cooling down; and as for our country’s future, it remains as unpredictable and worrisome as always.

Let’s see how long this drama lasts until we are introduced to a new ‘twist’!

POLITICS

The results of February 8 polls were surprising for many after PTI-affiliated candidates won the most number of National Assembly seats compared to other political parties. The PML-N as a party had the highest number of seats but not enough to form the government. In fact, no party had enough numbers to form a government at the Centre.

The PPP for its part tried to engage the PTI leadership for the formation of a coalition government but as expected, PTI founder Imran Khan declined their offer. After a lot of back and forth, the PML-N and the PPP finally decided to form a coalition government but the PPP has decided not to be part of the cabinet. As per this formula, Shehbaz Sharif will be their joint candidate for the Prime Minister while Asif Zardari will be the president.

The PML-N formed the government in Punjab; the country’s largest province has its first female Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz. The PPP has formed a government in Sindh and Murad Ali Shah is the CM, again. Yesterday, the newly elected members of the Balochistan Assembly and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly were also sworn in. KP will have a PTI government with Ali Amin Gandapur as its CM candidate while Balochistan will have a coalition government between the PPP and PML-N. 

Today, the National Assembly’s maiden session of the legislative will begin at 10am and the newly-elected MNAs will be sworn in. After the PTI-affiliated independent candidates joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), there has been a lot of debate whether they will get reserved seats or not.

Yesterday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) reserved its verdict on the petitions filed by the SIC seeking the allocation of women and minority seats. Some have predicted that the SIC with PTI-affiliated independents may not get these seats while others are hopeful of a positive outcome. 

Unfortunately, allegations of rigging in the elections have been made by several political parties and candidates, which has certainly raised doubts about the legitimacy of the 2024 elections results. These allegations must be addressed by the ECP at the earliest. Political uncertainty will not end anytime soon due to these allegations. Let’s hope we see an end to this uncertainty in the coming months. 

BUSINESS

by Sadaan Khan

In the tumultuous start of February 2024, Pakistan grappled with economic challenges that profoundly impacted its citizens. 

The month commenced with a considerable blow to the already burdened masses as the government increased petrol prices by Rs13.55 per litre, reaching Rs272.89 per litre. Simultaneously, diesel prices rose by Rs2.75, escalating to Rs278.96 per litre.

The following day added to the predicament with an increase in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) raised the price by Rs1.17 per kg, setting the consumer price for February at Rs257.59 per kg.

The common populace bore the brunt of inflation, particularly in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, where fruit and vegetable prices surged by 28 per cent in the initial two weeks of February 2024.

Amidst these economic struggles, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported a decrease of $172.5 million (2.1 per cent WoW) in foreign exchange reserves during the week ending February 02, 2024. This decline was attributed to debt repayments, as indicated by the central bank.

Unfortunately, Pakistan witnessed an increase in external debt and liabilities, reaching $131.159 billion at the end of 1HFY24, marking a 1.09 per cent QoQ rise. On a yearly basis, this amounted to a 1.99 per cent YoY increase.

As the government aimed to raise Rs2.845 trillion in the next three months through auctions, it faced challenges as OGRA approved gas price hikes for Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) by 5 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively, for FY24.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved Rs10 billion for the Digital Information Infrastructure Initiative, focusing on enhancing cyber threat identification capabilities. 

To provide relief during Ramzan, the ECC approved the Ramzan Relief Package-2024, allocating Rs7.49 billion for targeted beneficiaries of BISP.

On February 15, in response to global oil price trends, the government raised petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices by Rs2.73 and Rs8.37 per litre, respectively, for the remaining days of the month.

Despite the government accumulating additional debt, there was a glimmer of positivity with a 4.29 per cent MoM increase in total textile exports to $1.37 billion in January 2024.
On the fiscal front, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reported substantial growth of almost 30 per cent in tax revenue, collecting Rs5.15 trillion from July 2023 to mid-February 2024, compared to Rs3.97 trillion in the corresponding period last fiscal year.

Furthermore, the US dollar remained relatively stable against the Pakistani rupee, with no major changes reported in the interbank rates. The Pakistani rupee exhibited minor fluctuations, being reported a few paisas up and some down.

As February concludes, Pakistan faces a delicate economic landscape with challenges and glimpses of hope, underscoring the need for strategic measures to navigate through these complexities.

LIFESTYLE

by Urwa Khurshid

February was quite a month. There were moments of bewilderment and complete shock along with the ones that were oddly satisfying. It started off with the election hustle that seemed to last a fortnight until we acclimatised to live in that dust because we learned that it would not settle. 

The election campaigns over social media were a delight and the results of the elections were a surprise. It was predicted before the elections that people have lost interest in the process and the turnout would be low but the enthusiasm we got to witness on February 8 was a satisfying surprise indeed. However, internet blockade continues to spoil the fun and leaves a question mark over the condition of democracy in the country.

That being said, nationally this month brought to light many instances of crime, illiteracy and intolerance. The wife of a famous anchor of a leading news channel Ashfaque Ishaq Satti came forward about the violence she had to endure at the hands of her husband. It was appalling to see how a public personality could be the proponent of a heinous crime. Yet there was a section of society criticising the woman for speaking out.

Just like that when The Current published a feature about the legal and religious interpretation of the conviction on Marital Rape, so many flooded the comment section to school that this does not exist. 

Another case of intolerance has been the Ichhra mob case where seemingly religious men decided to halt and heckle a woman for wearing a dress that had Arabic written on it without verifying that it was not a Qur’anic script. The incident made waves both nationally and internationally but the way a woman ASP rescued her from that charged crowd showed us how a woman in power can handle things rather bravely and responsibly. 

It can be agreed that all of this stems from the kind of upbringing one has had. In this regard, the most shocking incident has been from Karachi where a boy living with his uncle’s family and divorced mother killed his seven-year-old cousin by slitting his throat only because he used to complain to his father about this elder cousin. An American parenting vlogger was sentenced for abusing her children. The bottom line in all of this is a simple fact that surely humans are complex but as a society we have to ensure that we are raising them right.

SPORTS

By Waseem Sarwar

In the mid of February, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) started, which is the most enjoyable event for Pakistani fans. Six different teams from the country participate in this event but this month was not good for Lahore fans as Lahore Qalandars are almost out of this tournament due to bad performance in the event.

Babar Azam became the fastest batter to complete 10,000 runs in T20 in just 271 innings. Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam scored a century after a long time in a match against Islamabad United on February 26.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) terminated the central contract of fast bowler Haris Rauf due to his refusal to be included in Pakistan’s Test squad for the 2023-24 tour of Australia. Australia won the Under-19 world cup this month. A tragic news this month: Marathon’s world record holder athlete Kelvin Kaptam died in a car accident.

Pakistan’s Hamza Saeed won the gold medal in the 33rd Fajr Open Taekwondo Championship in Tehran. 

India’s star cricketer Virat Kohli and wife Anushka Sharma announced that they welcomed their second child, a baby boy, on February 15. Pakistan’s right-arm fast bowler Hassan Ali — who is married to an Indian girl — also became a father for the second time.

ENTERTAINMENT

By Kainat Alvi

The entertainment world has been full of interesting events taking place this month. First off, the wedding of Jannat Mirza’s sister, Sehar Mirza, made headlines as the rukhsati was held without the groom.

And guess who was spotted together? None other than famous actor Ahsan Khan and Indian actress Sonam Bajwa! They teamed up for a clothing brand’s photoshoot.

Yumna Zaidi delighted her fans once again by performing at a wedding, dancing to the viral song ‘Teri Baaton Main Aisa Uljha Jiya’. She always knows how to steal the show!

There’s also been a lot of buzz surrounding the film ‘Taxali Gate’.  Fans are raving about it on social media, with many saying it’s Abu Aleeha’s best work yet. Definitely one to watch!

Looking for something heartwarming? ‘Ishq Murshid’ is the perfect show for you. Follow Shahmeer as he embarks on a scheme to capture Shibra’s heart, which involves disguising himself as a poor man and starting anew. And let’s not forget the beautiful dance performance at actress Arisha Razi Khan’s wedding with her husband. It was a sight to behold!

Wrapping up the month on a high note, the Pakistani short movie ‘Jamun ka Darakht’ won the award for Best Social Justice Short Film at the Cannes World Film Festival.

And also get ready to amp up your Ramzan with a lineup of exciting and comedic dramas that promise to keep you entertained throughout the holy month! From heartfelt stories to hilarious antics, here’s what to watch: Dil Pe Dastak, Tere Mere Sapne,Chand Nagar Drama, Babu Ki Dulahni,Goll Chakar.

With these exciting dramas on your watchlist, Ramzan is set to be filled with laughter, joy, and memorable moments for the whole family!

FOREIGN NEWS

Starting with the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the deathtoll has hit 30,000 while more than 70,000 people have been injured by the end of Febuary as the Israeli attacks throughout the strip remained relentless as ever but the international community is still mum about it.

Palestine also reached out to the UN’s top court — International Court of Justice (ICJ) — where Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki asserted that his people were enduring “colonialism and apartheid” under the Israelis, and called for an immediate and unconditional ceasing of the occupation.

But pro-ceasefire voices always fall on deaf ears and the authority to stop the Israeli barbarity remains with the powerful who have failed to make it possible to-date. For the fourth time since October 7, the US vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.

On the other hand, US President Joe Biden, while he enjoyed an ice-cream, casually stated that he hoped a ceasefire in Gaza could start by the beginning of March, adding that Israel was ready to halt operations during the Muslim month of Ramzan as part of any deal.

As for the tensions in the Middle East, Yemen’s Houthis reported the first civilian death in US and British air strikes in one of the rounds of joint raids which have been at odds with the West with their support of Palestine.

February also marked the second anniversary of the Ukraine-Russia war but this month, all eyes were on Russian President Vladimir Putin after his incarcerated political opponent, Alexei Navalny, died in prison — and his wife accused Putin for his demise. 

Additionally, there have been protests by farmers worldwide, from India to Europe, separately, for their rights and to register their rebellion with the sitting governments against soaring fuel, and fertiliser costs, lower prices of their produce, and restrictive regulations. The protests shed light on the very pertinent issues faced by the primary food-producing sector of countries owning big agricultural markets.