In Pakistan’s ‘City of Saints,’ age-old feudal rivals fight it out in closely watched election contest

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Updated 05 February 2024
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In Pakistan’s ‘City of Saints,’ age-old feudal rivals fight it out in closely watched election contest

  • Qureshi and Gilani families of Multan have built political power on large landholdings, status as guardians of Sufi shrines
  • PTI-backed candidate Taimur Malik says people have rejected influential families and old-style patronage politics

MULTAN: Meher Bano Qureshi waved at the charged crowd of supporters chanting her name and showering her with rose petals as she climbed out of the imposing, black SUV in Multan in central Pakistan, where her family has built its political power on its status as guardians of one of the city’s many ornate, centuries-old Sufi shrines.

But as millions of Pakistanis go to the polls on Feb. 8, Qureshi is counting on something more temporal than prayers to tempt voters: the wild popularity of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party she is backed by. 

Her father Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Khan’s deputy in his party and foreign minister when the ousted PM ruled from 2018-2022, is the makhdoom, or guardian, of a prominent shrine and a large landowner to boot. Like dozens of other PTI leaders, Shah is barred from running in upcoming elections marred by widespread accusations of pre-poll rigging and interference by a military that Khan is widely believed to have fallen out with in the last months of his premiership. The army says it does not interfere in politics. 

“Within this constituency [NA-151] and within Pakistan, you can see that Imran Khan’s message is resonating with the people and they can see that this man walks the talk,” Qureshi, who is in her early forties, told Arab News in an interview, adding that a number of back to back jail sentences for Khan announced this month had only bolstered his popularity and those of the candidates supporting him. 

This month, her father was also awarded a 10-year jail sentence along with Khan in what has popularly come to be called the “cipher case,” in which the two are accused of leaking official secrets. Khan says all cases against him are politically motivated to keep him and his PTI out of elections. 

With its top leaders in prison, the PTI’s election contest has been further complicated by the election commission stripping the party of its unifying symbol of the bat, saying it had not conducted intra-party elections, a legal requirement. All candidates for the party now have to contest as independents, each with its own symbol. 

But the party and candidates like Qureshi believe the state-backed crackdown has only made them more popular.

“Today he [Khan] is in jail, my father [Shah] who was going to contest from here, he is also in jail,” Qureshi said. “They haven’t compromised, they have stood their ground, they have stood by the people of Pakistan and the people of Pakistan can see that and they appreciate it and therefore, they are standing with us.”

However, she admitted that the election race had been difficult due to “state highhandedness” which she described as being at an “unrelenting level.”

“It is a level that we haven’t seen before in any elections in Pakistan and this is a very unique election in terms of that,” Qureshi said. 

“Once we visit somewhere, even if it is a 50-person corner meeting, or a 15-person corner meeting, they are visited by police, they are given phone calls by local police and so, people are genuinely very fearful,” the candidate said, describing a pattern of intimidation she said the PTI and candidates backed by it were facing.




The picture taken on February 3, 2024, shows a vehicle decorated with the postures of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party in Multan, Pakistan. (AN photo)

The caretaker government which is overseeing elections has repeatedly said all parties are being provided fair competition for the Feb. 8 polls while the military denies it interferes in election activities other than when asked by the election commission to provide security. 

“POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT”

Up against Qureshi is the Gilani family led by ex-prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, currently a senator and a large landowner who commands the loyalty of thousands of devotees in the ancient city. Both clans are typical of the rural families that dominate politics in the main battleground province of Punjab, from where almost half the members of parliament will be elected.

In Multan’s NA-151, the largest constituency in Punjab in terms of land area, Qureshi’s is up against Ali Musa Gilani, the son of the older Gilani, backed by the Pakistan People’s Party.




The picture taken on February 3, 2024, shows people putting up banners of the Pakistan Peoples Party in Multan, Pakistan. (AN photo)

“The Qureshi family remained in power so many times, but they did nothing for the people of Multan and southern Punjab,” Ali told Arab News in an interview during campaigning activities this month.

“The Gilani family, whenever it came [to power], they did the politics of development, so, the people know who works for their welfare.” 

“We have done development projects worth billions of rupees in Multan and people know the Gilanis deliver on their promises,” the older Yousaf Raza Gilani told Arab News.

Out of six National Assembly constituencies in Multan, Meher Bano Qureshi and her brother Zain Qureshi are contesting from two separate seats. 

The older Gilani is contesting for a National Assembly seat, NA-148, with his son, Ali Haider Gilani, as the provincial assembly candidate. His two other sons, Ali Musa Gilani, and Abdul Qadir Gilani, are also contesting two separate National Assembly seats. All the Gilanis are candidates for the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Ali said he was confident the PPP would win from Multan and South Punjab and form the government in Punjab and at the center. 

“We will clean sweep Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Multan and I think we will win a seat from Lodhran,” Gilani said, naming multiple cities in southern Punjab. “And a seat from Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar.”

“THE PEOPLE ARE FED UP”

In another Multan constituency, NA-148, the competition is between Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) heavyweight, Malik Ahmed Hussain Deharr, and PTI-backed Barrister Taimur Malik.

Speaking to Arab News, Deharr said if voted into power, PML-N founder and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif would work with Pakistan’s powerful military on a “charter of economy” to steer the country from economic crisis. 

“I have high hopes that in the next five years, we will cover International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans and all that, and Pakistan will flourish,” Deharr told Arab News.

Malik on the other hand rejected politics dominated by influential families who have ruled for decades through patronage and the support of the army. 

“I really want to do politics of representation, politics of representing the wishes of the people, their grievances and of lawmaking in parliament which is a dire need for this country,” Malik told Arab News.

“The people are fed up with electing the same people, the people are fed up with going to their [feudal leaders’] deras [homes] and seeking their involvement in local issues,” he said. “People want educated [candidates] like myself who are also from the local area.”

Qureshi rebuffed Malik’s criticism about her feudal and political roots. 

“I am an educated woman,” she said. “I should be able to come forward once I fulfill the ideological criteria of a political party and be able to contribute to that party and to my country.”


PM Sharif calls for economic policies to revive Pakistan’s export competitiveness

Updated 23 May 2025
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PM Sharif calls for economic policies to revive Pakistan’s export competitiveness

  • The PM outlines the goal during a meeting with Dr. Stefan Dercon, a prominent British economist
  • He calls for deep-rooted reforms to steer Pakistan’s economy back toward export-led growth

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday stressed the need for balance across all economic policies to revive Pakistan’s export potential, saying his government wanted to take the country back to a place where its products were once again in global demand.
The remarks came during a meeting with Dr. Stefan Dercon, a prominent British economist and professor of economic policy at Oxford University.
Dercon, who previously served as the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID) chief economist, is widely recognized for his work on poverty, institutional reform and economic development in low- and middle-income countries.
“A sound balance across all policies is essential to promote business,” the prime minister was quoted as saying in an official statement circulated by his office. “For Pakistan’s economic development, alignment between fiscal policy, taxation policy and production policy is necessary.”
“In the past, Pakistani products were in high demand globally and the country was counted among the world’s major exporters,” he continued. “We want to bring Pakistan back to that place.”
Sharif’s meeting with the British economist took place at a time when Pakistan seeks to strengthen its economy through increased exports and foreign investment, following signs of stabilization under an IMF-supported economic program.
He maintained that deep-rooted reforms were required to transition the national economy back toward export-led growth.
Dercon praised the direction of Pakistan’s economic policy and reform agenda, noting improving investor sentiment toward the country.
He particularly lauded Pakistan’s tariff rationalization efforts, which aim to simplify and streamline import duties to support industrial competitiveness.
The meeting was also attended by top members of the government’s economic team, including Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and senior officials from relevant departments.


IMF defends $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan amid India’s objections

Updated 23 May 2025
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IMF defends $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan amid India’s objections

  • IMF communications director says the board approved funding as Pakistan had ‘met all of the targets’
  • She clarifies EFF disbursements go to the central bank and are not used to fund the national budget

KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week defended its decision to release a $1 billion tranche to Pakistan, despite India’s concern over its potential misuse, by pointing out the country had met all requisite targets under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF).

India had raised objections to the IMF’s disbursement amid a military confrontation with Pakistan, saying the funds could be diverted to support activities that it described as detrimental to regional stability. New Delhi abstained from the IMF Executive Board vote on May 9, highlighting apprehensions about the timing and potential implications of the financial assistance.

During a news briefing in Washington on Thursday, IMF Communications Director Julie Kozack addressed these concerns, saying the international lender provided financing to member states for the purpose of resolving balance of payments problems.

“In the case of Pakistan … the EFF disbursements … are allocated to the reserves of the central bank,” she said. “Under the program, those resources are not part of budget financing … [and] are not transferred to the government to support the budget.”

The IMF official further emphasized the Fund’s decision was based on Pakistan meeting all the targets set under the loan program.

“Our Board found that Pakistan had indeed met all of the targets,” she continued. “It had made progress on some of the reforms, and for that reason, the Board went ahead and approved the program.”

Kozack also outlined the safeguards to prevent any potential misuse of funds, including targets on the accumulation of international reserves and a zero target for central bank lending to the government.

She also noted the program includes substantial structural conditionality aimed at improving fiscal management.

The IMF’s disbursement this month was part of a broader $7 billion support program aimed at stabilizing Pakistan’s economy. The Fund has said future disbursements will depend on Pakistan’s continued adherence to the program’s conditions and reforms.
 


PM Sharif tells business leaders private sector key to economy ahead of June 10 budget

Updated 23 May 2025
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PM Sharif tells business leaders private sector key to economy ahead of June 10 budget

  • The prime minister assures chambers of commerce representatives of his administration’s full support
  • He promises to reduce cost of doing business in the country, highlights zero tolerance for tax evasion

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in driving economic development, asserting that a robust public-private partnership was essential for the country’s emergence as a strong global economy.
Sharif made these remarks during a meeting with presidents of chambers of commerce from across the nation, coinciding with the government’s announcement to present the next federal budget on June 10.
The government has consistently stressed the need for the private sector to lead in strengthening the national economy, assuring it of state support.
Sharif reiterated this stance, highlighting the necessity of collaboration between the government and private enterprises in the country.
“There is a need to mobilize the private sector to achieve economic self-reliance,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted him as saying during the meeting.
“Protecting the rights of the Pakistani business community and providing them with a conducive environment for profitable business are among the top priorities of the government,” he continued.
Sharif also pledged to reduce the cost of doing business in Pakistan, noting that measures were being implemented to facilitate access to loans and reduce electricity prices.
Addressing tax compliance, he emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward tax evasion. Pakistan has historically one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region.
The government has tried to addressed the situation by reforming its tax collection body through increased automation to improve collection and compliance.
The official statement said the delegation of business leaders commended the government’s economic policies, citing gradual improvements in the national economy and business environment.
They also presented budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.
Pakistan is scheduled to release a comprehensive economic survey for the outgoing fiscal year on June 9, only a day ahead of the budget preparation.


Pakistan says 25,698 pilgrims to perform Hajj under private quota in 2025

Updated 49 min 18 sec ago
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Pakistan says 25,698 pilgrims to perform Hajj under private quota in 2025

  • The annual pilgrimage is expected to take place between June 4 and June 9 this year
  • Around 55,642 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have landed in Saudi Arabia so far via 244 flights

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s religious affairs minister, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, said on Friday only 25,698 pilgrims would be able to perform Hajj this year under the private scheme, after thousands of allocated slots were revoked due to non-compliance by private operators with Saudi booking rules and deadlines.

The kingdom had granted Pakistan a total quota of 179,210 pilgrims for Hajj 2025. Typically, this national quota is evenly split between the government-run and private schemes. However, the private sector failed to meet procedural requirements set by Saudi authorities, leading to a significant cut in their share, down from 89,801 to just over 25,000, leaving more than 67,000 would-be pilgrims affected.

“25,698 people will be able to go for Hajj under the private quota,” Yousaf said while addressing a press conference.

“Up until February 14, only 3,600 pilgrims had submitted their payments, but after a one-week extension, 10,000 more applications were received, bringing the total number to 13,000.”

He highlighted that private Hajj operators had registered 904 companies with the Saudi authorities, based on a list provided by the religious affairs ministry. However, some people ignored this and made payments to unregistered Hajj operators.

Yousaf assured that a committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would investigate the issue.

He said Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Air Sial, Airblue, and Serene Air would be transporting Pakistani pilgrims for Hajj.

Earlier in May, a ministry spokesperson issued guidelines for Hajj pilgrims, including verifying the authenticity and quota approval of private tour operators before making payments, visiting the ministry’s official website to confirm registration and avoiding reliance on unverified advertisements or information.

The ministry strongly urged all prospective pilgrims to exercise utmost caution when booking Hajj packages through private tour operators.

Some registered private organizations also failed to pay dues within the timeline set by Saudi authorities, prompting Sharif to intervene and request an extension of the deadline, which was approved.

This year’s annual pilgrimage is expected between June 4 and June 9, with nearly 89,000 Pakistanis traveling to Saudi Arabia under the government scheme.

Pakistan launched its Hajj flight operation on April 29.

Around 55,642 Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have landed in Saudi Arabia so far via 244 flights.


Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge

Updated 23 May 2025
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Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge

  • A senior physician says all those who succumbed to the disease in the past fortnight were elderly individuals
  • Health experts say the recent surge in coronavirus cases during the summer months is an unusual trend

KARACHI: At least four people with underlying health conditions have died of COVID-19 at a major Karachi hospital in the past two weeks, as experts report an unusual spike in infections during the city’s peak summer season.

All four fatalities occurred at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), where doctors say they are seeing a steady increase in admissions linked to the coronavirus— a trend they describe as “unexpected” at this time of year.

“In the past two to three weeks, we have seen a significant increase in COVID cases,” Prof. Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood, a professor of infectious diseases at AKUH, told Arab News, confirming the death of four people during the past two weeks.

The surge, he said, was happening in late spring with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that was first detected in late 2019 and declared a global pandemic within months. While the virus typically spreads more easily in colder months due to increased indoor activity and lower humidity, experts say its spread during summer in Karachi is a rare deviation from past seasonal patterns.

Mahmood said most infected individuals have been coming to the hospital with mild symptoms, such as sore throat, cough, body aches, and fever, but the virus remains dangerous for older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

“Like in previous years, this year the severe cases of COVID are mostly being seen in people who are older, especially those above 65, or those with weak immune systems,” he said.

“Among these COVID cases, there are some patients who have been hospitalized, and there have also been some deaths,” he added.

Mahmood added that while routine testing is no longer required for everyone with symptoms, caution is essential.

“If you suspect that you have COVID or any other cold or cough-related infection, it is better that you wear a mask,” he advised. “We recommend wearing a mask for at least five to ten days so that others do not get infected.”

The infectious diseases expert also urged caution for those in close contact with the elderly.

“If you are caring for someone who is elderly, then please do not visit them if you are feeling unwell, or at least wear a mask,” he said. “Please take care of yourself, and we hope that there will not be a major further increase in COVID cases.”