Pakistan seeks World Bank’s technical help to fast track $20 billion development framework

KARACHI: A local court in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking the registration of a criminal case against US President Donald Trump over recent American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, ruling that the matter fell outside its jurisdiction.

The plea was filed on June 24 by Advocate Jamshed Ali Khowaja, who claimed to represent hundreds of members of the International Lawyers Forum (ILF). His counsel, Jafar Abbas Jafri, argued that the June 21–22 strikes by US B-2 bombers triggered panic and psychological trauma across Pakistan, including among lawyers.

“A case can be filed where the crime occurred and where its effects were felt. The effects were felt across the country, including within the limits of Docks Police Station,” Jafri told the court during Tuesday’s hearing.

He also alleged that suspicious US naval activity near Pakistan’s coastal belt intensified public fear, saying the attack “has caused mental stress and terrorized millions, including my client.”

However, the judge questioned whether the matter was justiciable in Pakistan.

“This happened outside Pakistan’s territory,” the judge remarked. “If anything happens anywhere in the world, should Pakistani courts take up every such case?”

On Wednesday, after hearing arguments on maintainability, the court dismissed the petition.

Legal experts earlier told Arab News the petition had little merit under Pakistani law.

“Donald Trump is the president of a country, and no direct harm was caused to Pakistani citizens or lawyers,” said senior lawyer Shaukat Hayat.

“Tomorrow if someone moves a US court to register a case against the Pakistani premier, will the US court order registering a case against our PM?”

Ali Ahmed Palh, another senior lawyer, called the petition an attention-seeking move.

“The right proper forum for such complaints can be the International Criminal Court,” he said. “Pakistani courts have no jurisdiction over such cases.”

KARACHI: Pakistan has called for a fundamental shift in global development financing, urging the international community to move away from donor-driven models and adopt country-led, results-oriented strategies that align with national priorities and deliver measurable outcomes, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.

The country has long struggled with foreign loans and aid programs that often impose rigid conditions, restricting its ability to pursue development goals on its own terms. Facing recurring external financing gaps, high debt servicing costs and limited fiscal space, Pakistan has also called for greater access to low-cost financing to support areas like climate adaptation and social spending without deepening its debt burden.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb raised these issues during his address at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Spain.

“In his remarks, the Finance Minister laid out a ... comprehensive strategy ... to foster meaningful progress,” said a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance. “As a first step, he stressed the need for urgent execution of priority actions to transition from pledges to tangible delivery.”

“This, he noted, must involve greater country ownership of development agendas, with national strategies taking precedence over donor-driven models,” the statement added. “Aligning frameworks with domestic priorities is key to ensuring sustainability and relevance on the ground.”

Aurangzeb also called for expanding access to concessional and blended financing, particularly for investments aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate resilience.

He emphasized that international financial institutions and credit rating agencies should account for a country’s reform efforts, developmental ambitions and climate vulnerabilities when assessing risk and setting lending terms.

The minister further advocated for a shift in how development cooperation is approached within developing countries, arguing for a move away from input-focused models toward results-driven strategies linked to measurable outcomes.

He underscored the importance of integrating cross-cutting priorities, such as gender equity, digital inclusion and climate resilience, into national development plans.

Aurangzeb also urged a scale-up of South-South and triangular cooperation, describing such partnerships as more contextually grounded and effective than externally imposed frameworks.

The minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to building inclusive, results-driven partnerships during the conference.