Pakistani political pundits foresee coalition government after general elections, no future for ‘king’s parties’ 

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Updated 07 August 2023
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Pakistani political pundits foresee coalition government after general elections, no future for ‘king’s parties’ 

  • PM Shehbaz Sharif will hand over power to caretaker set-up this month ahead of general elections due in November 
  • Ex-PM Imran Khan was arrested on Saturday after a trial court verdict likely to end his chances of running in elections 

ISLAMABAD: As the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif prepares to hand over power to a caretaker administration ahead of general elections due in November, political pundits widely foresee the formation of a coalition government and say ‘king’s parties’ formed in recent months neither have a vote bank nor a powerful narrative to sway votes. 

Sharif’s government has proposed that parliament be dissolved a few days before the end of its term on August 12, giving the caretaker government 90 days to hold a general election, which would fall in early November. 

The election is seen as critical to restoring political stability to a country that has been rocked by economic turmoil and mass protests and unrest since Imran Khan was forced out as prime minister in a vote of no-confidence in April last year. 

Last week, Khan was arrested after a trial court in Islamabad convicted him of charges arising from the sale of state gifts — a verdict likely to end his chances of running in upcoming general elections. 

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, arguably the most popular in the country, was already facing an unprecedented crisis since May 9, when violent protests erupted following his arrest in a separate land graft case and his supporters ransacked government and military properties. 

The army called the day of the protests a “Black Day” and vowed to punish those involved. Since then, thousands of Khan’s supporters have been arrested, and hundreds of his top party members, including his closest aides, have defected after they faced pressure from what is widely believed to be the military establishment, which denies the charge. 

Many former Khan associates have since gotten together to form two new political parties, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-Parliamentarians (PTI-P), both widely referred to as king’s parties, a common euphemism in Pakistan for one favored by the all-powerful military, which has ruled the South Asian country for nearly half of its 75-year history. 

Meanwhile, Khan, already behind bars, faces a spate of other legal cases too, with charges ranging from terrorism to contempt of court to murder. 

Against this background, what does the future hold for Pakistani politics? 

“What I foresee is so far no party will get a simple majority and they will have to go for a coalition government,” Brig. (retired) Haris Nawaz, a defense and political analyst, told Arab News. 

He, however, warned that a coalition government or hung parliament would not be able to steer the country out of its myriad economic and political crises. 

“For the best economic revival and political stability, the ideal thing is that one party, whomsoever Pakistani people vote for, should come with simple majority,” he said. 

“When you come with a simple majority, [it] means you don’t go in coalition, you don’t need coalition partners, you don’t fall into blackmailing. A coalition government cannot deliver what a proper, fully mandated one simple-majority party can do.” 

But would the newly formed parties, with senior leaders from Khan’s PTI, be able to get mass support? 

“They are definitely the new king’s parties but actually the problem is they do not have a new narrative and they don’t have a vote bank, and I don’t see many electables in them,” longtime political observer Sohail Warraich, widely believed to be the foremost expert on Pakistan’s constituency politics, told Arab News. 

And the formation of the parties had also come “too late,” said Nawaz. 

“It is too late, particularly, when after just [a few] days the assembly will be dissolved. When will they bring their manifestos, when will they get in touch [with the masses]? These are big question marks.” 

Political commentator and rights activist Mehmal Sarfaraz said “experiments” like the IPP and the PTI-Parliamentarians had been tried in the past also, but had “hardly ever been successful.” 

“From IPP to other splinter groups of PTI, the plan seems to be to give a home to PTI defectors who have had to leave their party post-May 9 events even if a lot of them didn’t want to,” she added. 

Tahir Naeem Malik, an assistant professor of International Politics at the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), said he viewed the formation of the new parties as an attempt to keep major political parties “under pressure.” 

“The purpose behind their formation is that the two other major parties, the PML-N and the PPP, should not be strengthened,” he said, referring to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of PM Sharif, which is ruling in the center, and the Pakistan People’s Party, which has the government in Sindh province and is a coalition partner of Sharif’s administration. 

“We have been seeing for the last 75 years that party politics are cut down to size and factions are created within political parties,” Malik added, calling it “unfortunate” that political parties, in their quest to stay relevant and in power, did not realize that they were being “weakened” in the long-run through such moves. 

Instead, political analyst Mazhar Abbas suggested, political parties needed to stick to basic principles and ensure that their conduct did not damage democracy. 

“Political parties among themselves should formulate a code of conduct for respecting each other,” he said. “There have to be few underlying principles of democracy and of accepting the voices of dissent.” 

But what does the future hold for Khan, amid a widening crackdown against his party and after his arrest? 

“One can’t say whether PTI is completely out of the scene, but temporarily, definitely, PTI is in deep trouble,” Abbas said. 

“One has to wait and see whether PTI or Imran Khan will be in the race or not [in upcoming general elections], because if he is allowed to contest the elections, if his party remains intact and is allowed to freely contest the elections, then in a free and fair contest, PTI has every chance to emerge as a strong party,” the commentator added. 

“But if Imran Khan is disqualified or in jail, or PTI faces hindrance in contesting the election, then definitely other groups or a hung parliament will emerge.” 


Amroti ‘Water’ Mosque: Century-old symbol of faith and resistance in southern Pakistan

Updated 02 April 2025
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Amroti ‘Water’ Mosque: Century-old symbol of faith and resistance in southern Pakistan

  • Mosque was built around 1890 under guidance of Syed Taj Mahmood Shah Amroti, first translator of Qur’an into Sindhi language 
  • Mosque’s location became problem when British wanted to built Sukkur Barrage but resistance by Amroti and followers forced retreat 

SHIKARPUR, Sindh: Standing on seven pillars in the middle of the Kirthar Canal, a unique mosque in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district is more than just a place of worship — it is a symbol of defiance and resistance against British colonial rule.

With its whitewashed walls rising above the flowing waters, the Amroti Mosque’s architecture is as unique as its story.

The mosque was first constructed from mud, wood and palm tree trunks on a mound around 1890 under the guidance of scholar and educationalist Syed Taj Mahmood Shah Amroti, who was the first to translate the Holy Qur’an into the Sindhi landguage and provide detailed explanations of its teachings. For years, the mosque served as a place of workshop for the residents of Junejo village in Shikarpur until its location became an issue when the British colonial rulers of India decided to build the Sukkur Barrage and its canals, ordering the demolition of the masjid.

Historical accounts say Amroti sent over 20 letters to authorities asking to change the canal’s route but received no response and the British eventually issued a warrant for his arrest.

“In 1922, the British government started the Kirthar Canal project to irrigate uncultivated lands of Sindh and Balochistan [provinces],” Sayed Rushdullah Shah Amroti, the administrator of Amroti Mosque and the great grandson of Amroti, told Arab News. 

The picture taken on March 19, 2025, shows blue tiles in the Amroti Mosque in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)

“When Hazrat Amroti came to know that the British government wanted to demolish the mosque, he decided to camp here and offered stiff resistance to British authorities.”

When British officials arrived with machines to demolish the mosque, local villagers joined Amroti in a massive protest. In the end, the British agreed not to destroy the mosque and instead promised to strengthen its structure so that both the mosque and the canal could remain.

“The impact of the resistance was that the British government was forced to kneel down,” Sayed said. “They left the mosque as it was and made the canal around its four sides.”

The mosque in its present shape was subsequently built, serving as a reminder of the importance of both faith and rebellion as it stood amid the waters of the Kirthar Canal, which originates from the Indus River at Sukkur Barrage and became operational in 1932 as a vital watercourse for Balochistan, particularly districts like Jafarabad and Naseerabad. 

The picture taken on March 19, 2025, shows Amroti Mosque constructed in the middle of Kirthar Canal in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)


“STRANGE SPIRITUAL STATE” 

In the past, residents would use boats to reach Amroti Mosque for prayers but after independence from British rule in 1947 and the creation of the two separate nations of Pakistan and India, the government rebuilt a proper structure for the mosque, constructed a bridge for easier access and ensured that water continued to flow beneath it.

Though the small mosque only allows 10-12 people to pray at a time, it holds great cultural and spiritual value for the people of the area.

“We are very proud of the religious and Islamic achievements of our ancestors, and wherever we go in the world, the respect we receive because of our connection to Amroti Sharif is largely due to the role of this mosque,” Rushdullah said.

Nasim Bukhari, a local writer, described the mosque as a “great symbol of resistance in history.” 

Worshippers pray at the Amroti Mosque in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)

“And this has been the history of Sindh, that we have never accepted defeat. Even if we had to face defeat, we would die with our names still alive. We never ran away,” he said. 

Amroti’s struggle was part of a larger resistance movement in Sindh, according to Bukhari.

“Syed Taj Mahmood Amroti fought against the British in his time and became a symbol of resistance. The people of that time, unarmed, fought with perseverance,” the author said, highlighting Amroti as an inspiration for others. One of his disciples, Syed Salah Aajiz Memon, later became the first Sindhi and Muslim figure against whom the British filed a case for rebellion.

“The name and deeds of our leader, Syed Taj Mahmood Amroti, have had their impact, but the resistance movement led by his followers and disciples also carries a remarkable legacy,” Bukhari said.

The picture taken on March 19, 2025, shows aerial view of the Amroti Mosque constructed in the middle of Kirthar Canal in Pakistan’s southern Shikarpur district. (AN Photo)

To date, the mosque continues to serve as a place of deep spirituality and worshippers describe a “profound sense of peace” at the place, especially when the water runs high and the mosque appears to be floating in the canal.

“While praying here, a strange spiritual state occurs,” Maulana Shahnawaz Baloch, the prayer leader at the mosque, told Arab News. 

“At this time, the water level is low, yet there is still a spiritual atmosphere. When the water level is higher due to the season, a completely different spiritual experience takes place.”

 

 


International Association of Women Police selects Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt for global award

Updated 02 April 2025
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International Association of Women Police selects Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt for global award

  • Butt, who is a city traffic officer in Gujranwala, is scheduled to receive award at IAWP conference in Glasgow in September
  • Pakistani woman cop awarded for her “distinguished service and commitment to policing,” says IAWP President Julia Jaeger

ISLAMABAD: The International Association of Women Police (IAWP) has selected Pakistan’s Ayesha Butt for its global ‘Excellence in Performance Award 2025,’ Punjab Police announced on Wednesday, describing the development as a “source of pride” for the country. 

The IAWP is an international organization with over 70 countries and 30 affiliate organizations as its members. The IAWP says its mission is to strengthen, unite and raise the capacity of women in policing internationally. It provides critical opportunities for women in training, mentoring, collaboration and networking. 

Butt currently serves as city traffic officer in Pakistan’s eastern city of Gujranwala at the rank of superintendent of police (SP). 

“I am writing to inform you that you are selected to receive the 2025 International Association of Women Police Excellence in Performance Award,” Julia Jaeger, IAWA president, wrote in a letter shared by Punjab Police on Wednesday.

“The IAWP is proud to honor your distinguished service and commitment to policing. On behalf of our members, the Board of Directors and the Recognition Committee, congratulations on receiving the highly competitive global recognition,” she added. 

Jaeger wrote that Butt would be presented with the award at the IAWP’s 62nd annual conference scheduled to be held in Glasgow in September this year. 

“We sincerely hope you can attend and receive your award in person,” Jaeger wrote. 

Separately, Punjab Police praised Butt for winning the award in a press release. 

“Inspector General Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar congratulates SP Ayesha Butt on making the police department’s name shine,” Punjab Police said. 

“SP Ayesha Butt’s success is a source of pride for all police officers, especially women officers,” Anwar was quoted as saying by the police. 

The achievement is a significant one for Pakistan, where women often lack family and societal support in pursuing careers in law enforcement. 


Pakistan president hospitalized, health ‘improving,’ aide says

Updated 02 April 2025
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Pakistan president hospitalized, health ‘improving,’ aide says

  • Asif Ali Zardari was hospitalized in Karachi on Tuesday after suffering from fever and infection, media reports say
  • Reports of Zardari being shifted to Dubai for treatment are “inaccurate,” clarifies Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari’s health is improving and he will be fine “soon,” his close aide and Sindh minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said this week, following media reports of the president being hospitalized in Karachi. 

Zardari was brought to a hospital in Karachi from Sindh’s Nawabshah city on Tuesday after he complained about suffering from fever and an infection, local media outlets reported. 

The president is also the co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a key member of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ruling coalition government. Neither the PPP nor the presidency have commented on Zardari’s health so far.

“The reports about President Asif Ali Zardari being shifted to Dubai for treatment are inaccurate,” Memon wrote on social media platform X on Tuesday. 

“His health is improving and Inshallah he will be fine very soon,” he added. 

In a statement released from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday, Sharif contacted Zardari to inquire about his health and pray for the president’s speedy recovery.

“The entire nation’s prayers are with you,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the PMO. 

Zardari, who is the widower of Pakistan’s slain first woman prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was appointed president for a second term in March last year. He previously served as president of Pakistan from 2008-2013.

A landowner from Sindh, Zardari rose to prominence after his marriage to Bhutto in 1987. He was widely criticized for corruption scandals that led to the collapse of Bhutto’s government in 1990. 


Pakistan rules out talks with separatist BLA group following surge in attacks

Updated 02 April 2025
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Pakistan rules out talks with separatist BLA group following surge in attacks

  • Baloch Liberation Army has claimed deadly attacks against Pakistani law enforcers, Punjab-based laborers in past
  • BLA, other Baloch separatist groups have been fighting the state for Balochstan’s independence for decades

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif this week ruled out talks with prominent separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) following a recent surge in attacks in the southwestern Balochistan province. 

The BLA has carried out deadly attacks against Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies, including last month’s train siege in Balochistan. BLA fighters stormed a train in the mountainous Bolan region in March, holding hundreds of passengers hostage. Pakistan’s army said it had killed all 33 militants in the rescue operation. Thirty-one soldiers and civilians had been killed by the militants in the attack. 

The BLA has also claimed attacks on laborers and commuters hailing from Pakistan’s Punjab province. The group seeks Balochistan’s independence from Pakistan, blaming the central government and Punjab for denying its locals a share in the natural resources of the province. Both deny the allegations. 

“The way laborers and small workers who go there [Balochistan] from Punjab are being killed, I don’t think there can be any talks with them [BLA],” Asif told private news channel SAMAA TV on Tuesday. 

Responding to a question about the surge in militant attacks in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province by the Pakistani Taliban, Asif said the country’s military is “dealing with them.”

“It will take a little time but we will prevail over this crisis,” the defense minister said. 

Pakistan has been battling twin insurgencies — one mounted by religiously motivated groups like the Pakistani Taliban or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in KP and the other by Baloch separatists in Balochistan.

Militant attacks in Pakistan surpassed 100 in March for the first time in over nine years, marking it to be the deadliest month since 2015, leading security think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said on Tuesday. 

The think tank said KP and Balochistan were the hardest hit provinces last month, though Punjab and Sindh also experienced an uptick in militant activity. 

Islamabad has repeatedly blamed Afghanistan for providing shelter to militant groups targeting civilians and security forces in cross-border attacks, an allegation denied by the authorities in Kabul.
 


Pakistan province releases prominent Baloch rights activist following outcry

Updated 02 April 2025
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Pakistan province releases prominent Baloch rights activist following outcry

  • Sammi Deen Baloch was detained by Sindh government for 30 days last week after protesting in Karachi 
  • Over a dozen independent UN experts last week urged Sindh government to release Baloch rights activists

KARACHI: The government in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province this week released prominent rights defender Sammi Deen Baloch, a notification from the provincial home department said, following criticism from members of the civil society and human rights activists. 

Baloch and several others from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) group were arrested by Sindh Police last Monday evening and charged with violating a ban imposed on public gatherings after they held a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club. After a judicial magistrate ordered her release, the Sindh Home Department issued an order detaining her for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order (PMO) ordinance, alleging that her presence in public can cause a “grave threat” to people’s safety.

The BYC was protesting against the detention of its leader, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, and some other members who were arrested last month at a protest camp in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province. Three persons had died following clashes between police and protesters, leading both sides to blame each other for the deaths.

“In partial modification to this department’s order of even number dated 25.03.2025 regarding detention under section 3 (1) of the Sindh Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, the name of Ms. Semi Din Baloch D/o. Dr. Din Muhammad Baloch is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect,” the home department said in a notification on Tuesday. 

“The Senior Superintendent, Central Prison Karachi is hereby directed to release the above-named detainee if she is not required in any other case or otherwise.”

Baloch’s sister, Mehlab Deen Baloch, confirmed her release in a post on social media platform X on Tuesday. 

“My sister, Sammi Deen, has finally been released, and I cannot express my gratitude enough,” she wrote on X, thanking rights activists, members of the civil society and others for demanding her release. 

Days following her arrest, over a dozen independent UN experts called on the government to release Baloch rights activists. 

The BYC and other Baloch rights activists have organized several large protests in Balochistan and led marches to, and sit-ins in, the Pakistani federal capital, Islamabad, mainly against what they describe as a surge in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan. They blame the army and other security forces operating in the province for the alleged crimes. Officials deny the accusations.

Balochistan has also been plagued by enforced disappearances for decades. Families say men are picked up by security forces, disappear often for years, and are sometimes found dead, with no official explanation. Government and security officials deny involvement and say they are working for the uplift of the province through development projects.

Pakistan’s military has a huge presence in the rugged, impoverished region bordering Afghanistan and Iran, where insurgent groups have been fighting for a separate homeland for decades to win a larger share of benefits for the resource-rich province. The military has long run intelligence-based operations against insurgent groups, who have escalated attacks in recent months on the military and nationals from longtime ally China, which is building key projects in the region, including a port at Gwadar.

International rights bodies like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as well as opposition political parties have also long highlighted enforced disappearances targeting students, activists, journalists and human rights defenders in Balochistan. The army says many of Balochistan’s so-called disappeared have links to separatists.

Military spokespersons have also variously accused rights movements like the BYC of being “terrorist proxies.”