Saying Goodbye to IMF
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif believes the next IMF agreement will be the last in Pakistan’s history, provided that we adhere to the ongoing IMF programme and achieve its targets. Well said, Prime Minister. However, the statement by the honourable PM in his address to the nation sounds more like another tall claim, considering the ground realities that suggest otherwise. If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. With their false promises and misplaced commitments, politicians tend to exaggerate the facts for political point-scoring to the extent of hoodwinking the electorate. If the aforementioned stands true in the case of an ambitious dream seen by the PM, how far will he go to pull the wool over the public’s eyes while doing nothing to put the economy back on track other than imposing back-breaking taxes on the already burdened salaried class? If saying goodbye to the IMF was ever so easy, what was stopping them in previous terms to make things happen?
Divisive Move
On the face of it, the Defamation Bill 2024 aims to protect institutions and individuals from false, concocted, and damaging statements. As expected, the bill has ignited a heated debate in the media about the bill’s multi-layered implications for democracy and justice in general and for freedom of expression in particular. Prima facie, this legislation is intended to safeguard the institution’s reputation against malicious attacks tainted with harsh yet baseless criticism, but in reality, the controversial move raises the most serious concerns about its latent scope to intimidate journalists, suppress free speech, and quash dissent. In place of acting like a shield for the defamed, the bill, if not amended and implemented as it is, will stifle criticism and target critics in the guise of enforcing the writ of the law.
Cricketers or Commandos?
Sindh Interior Minister says Pakistan’s cricket players need SSG commando training to fare well in international tournaments. Why doesn’t the Pakistan government send SSG commandos, in place of cricketers, to play and participate in global cricket contests? What’s the out-of-the-world rationale behind SSG commando logic and poor performance of cricketers? This thinking says much about the plight of Pakistan cricket, together with the rest of the areas in which the country miserably lags behind.
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