This update is meant to identify key developments during the month on Performance of Democratic Institutions in Pakistan with selected high-profile international developments included occasionally.

1. Senate Election
2. President addresses Joint Session of the Parliament
3. Dar appointed as Deputy Prime Minister
4. Green Pakistan Initiative Conference held at the GHQ
5. Saudi FM attends Pak Saudi Investment Conference organised by SIFC
6. Review of appointment process in Judiciary needed
7. ECP data shows gender gap remains unchanged
8. COAS calls on President
9. US and KSA conspired to topple IK Government: Sher Afzal Marwat
10. Judges receive letters laced with a suspicious toxic chemical
11. “Face-off” between Police and Army personnel
12. Suo Motu case on letter by IHC Judges
13. Faizabad Inquiry Commission clears former DG ISI
14. Million March against rigging by military establishment: Fazlur Rehman
15. By-Election results show victory to the PML-N
16. ECP lacks power of review: LHC
17. Spouse of Mr. Imran Khan poisoned, PTI alleges
18. No on-going dialogue with military establishment: Chairman PTI
19. Developments on Enforced Disappearances
20. Developments in trials of civilians in military courts
21. Resignation of Corps Commander Mangla
22. COAS hosts Pakistan Cricket Team for Iftar Dinner
23. 264^th Corps Commanders’ Conference (CCC)
24. Speaker National Assembly meets Foreign Dignitaries
25. Chairman Senate meets Foreign Dignitaries
26. Interactions of COAS with Foreign Dignitaries
27. Prime Minister’s Interactions with COAS

Senate Election

Election for half the members of the Senate of Pakistan were held on April 2, 2024. ^[1]

Election results showed that the ruling coalition secured 19 seats in the Senate.

The ECP delayed polling for 11 Senate seats in KP due to a controversy over the oath-taking of MPAs on reserved seats.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with its 24 senators formed one-fourth of the total strength in the Senate. The PTI has 20 members in the Senate, followed by the PML-N with 19 Senators. Other parties represented in the Senate include the BAP with 4 Senators, the MQM-P and the ANP with 3 Senators each, and the PML-Q, the BNP-M and the NP with 1 Senator each). Additionally, there are four independent Senators all supporting the ruling coalition.

On April 09, PPP’s Senator Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani and the PML-N’s Senator Syedaal Khan Nasar were elected unopposed as the Senate chairman and deputy chairman, respectively. Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar administered oath to both amidst protest by the PTI Senators who criticised incomplete representation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.^[2]

President addresses Joint Session of the Parliament

On April 18, President Asif Ali Zardari addressed the joint session of the Parliament to officially mark the beginning of the new parliamentary calendar.

In his address, President advocated for political reconciliation, emphasizing the need for meaningful dialogue and parliamentary consensus to tackle challenges and foster mutual respect. ^[3]

Despite disruptions from the PTI MPs shouting ‘Go Zardari Go’, President Zardari remained composed and delivered his speech acknowledging the protesters with a smile. He highlighted the importance of investing in people, addressing public needs, and harnessing resources for inclusive growth. He also stressed the significance of economic and tax reforms and promoting a working relationship between the Federal and Provincial governments. ^[4]

Dar appointed as Deputy Prime Minister

On April 28, Prime Minister Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif appointed Senator Ishaq Dar as Deputy Prime Minister. Senator Dar was already holding the portfolio of Foreign Minister. The notification issued by the Cabinet Secretariat stated that the PM has been “pleased to designate Mr. Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, as Deputy Prime Minister with immediate effect and until further orders.” ^[5]

Prime Minister was on visit to the KSA alongside his cabinet colleagues including Senator Dar when the notification was issued.

Earlier in 2012 when Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was appointed as Deputy PM in the cabinet of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, the notification had added that “this shall not confer upon him any powers of the prime minister in any manner whatsoever.” ^[6] Reportedly, this classification has also been made in the case of Senator Dar though it is not made part of the public notification.

The move to appoint Senator Dar as Deputy PM was seen by many as an effort to assuage Senator Dar as the office carries no constitutional or official role. It was also criticised on its optics which strengthened the criticism once again on the PML-N’s policy of ‘family first.’ Dawn, in its editorial, commented that after being denied the post of finance minister, Senator Dar will “now, in effect, be the finance minister’s boss. In fact, despite being rejected, Mr Dar was still included in key committees, which many saw as an attempt to undermine the incumbent finance minister — a sentiment witnessed during the PDM’s rule when Miftah Ismail held the position.” ^[7]

Green Pakistan Initiative Conference held at the GHQ

On April 26, the GHQ hosted what was termed as the ‘Green Pakistan Initiative Conference.’ According to the press release of the ISPR, while Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, MNA and Federal Minister for National Food Security, Rana Tanveer Hussain, MNA joined the conference. Chief of the Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir, also “graced the occasion,” while civil and military officials ‘involved in the national undertaking’ also attended the conference. ^[8]

The ISPR shared that the conference briefed participants about “multi-faceted GPI initiatives and significant benchmarks achieved in a short span of time.” These included “establishment of model farms, water management schemes, technology innovations and investment partnerships aimed at ensuring food security and enhancing agricultural productivity in Pakistan.”

Concluding the session, both the Federal Ministers, according to the ISPR, “lauded this transformative initiative.” In his remarks, the COAS said that the “Pakistan Army will continue to provide all possible support for the economic development of Pakistan and underscored that the Army’s efforts would contribute towards comprehensive national security and collective good of the nation.”

Saudi FM attends Pak Saudi Investment Conference organised by SIFC

On April 16, HE Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Foreign Minister of KSA, attended the ‘Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Investment Conference’ held in Islamabad by the SIFC.

During the conference, the SIFC officials gave comprehensive briefings encompassing the potential and investment opportunities in key sectors of Pakistan’s economy. Both sides held exhaustive deliberative sessions at functional level to crystallise investment opportunities in Pakistan.

At the conference The Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar explained how Pakistan, through the SIFC platform, aimed to streamline investment processes and ensure rapid decision-making, fostering a flourishing investment-friendly environment in Pakistan.^[9]

Review of appointment process in Judiciary needed

Addressing the inaugural session of the 5th Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore on April 27, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah stressed on the need for a review of the appointment process for judges. He also called for a ‘firewall’ to safeguard the institution of the judiciary from influence. He criticized the lack of continuity in judicial institutions adding that each chief justice tends to shape the institution according to their preferences while he praised Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa for implementing practices to establish a more systematic approach. ^[10]

Earlier on April 18, while addressing a select gathering of SC lawyers at the Lahore registry Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa, also emphasized that filling the vacant positions of judges in the Supreme Court and high courts was a priority. He also mentioned the necessity of having rules for the Judicial Commission of Pakistan before making new appointments.^[11]

A rule-making committee led by Justice Shah has submitted draft rules awaiting final approval.^[12]

ECP data shows gender gap remains unchanged

On April 15, the statistics released by the ECP related to the registration of voters shared that while number of registered voters in Pakistan had surpassed 130 million, up from 128 million recorded in December 2023, gender gap remained below 10 million.

Out of the total registered voters, approximately 60 million (46.18%) are women and slightly over 70 million (53.82%) are men, resulting in a gender gap of 9.95 million, as calculated by ECP.

Punjab contributes the most to the gender gap, with over 5 million voters, followed by Sindh (2.24 million), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1.96 million), and Balochistan (0.662 million).

Seven districts in Punjab contribute significantly to the gender gap, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rahim Yar Khan, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Sialkot.^[13]

COAS calls on President

On April 3, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir called on President Asif Ali Zardari and extended felicitations to President Zardari on his election as President and as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Pakistan. ^[14]

According to the Presidency, the COAS “apprised the President regarding the ongoing operations of the Army against terrorism and highlighted the operational preparedness against conventional threats. The COAS also intimated about the contributions of the Army towards development initiatives, particularly in the regions of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” President Zardari acknowledged the exemplary role of the Armed Forces of Pakistan affirming that the Army’s contributions have been instrumental in safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.

Press release by the Presidency also shared that the President “noted with grave concern the baseless and unsubstantiated allegations levelled by a specific political party and its few individuals against the institution and its leadership to accrue narrow political interests and resolved to deal with such disruptive elements with iron hand.”^[15]

‘US and KSA conspired to topple IK Government’: Sher Afzal Marwat

On April 17, PTI leader Mr. Sher Afzal Marwat accused both the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of conspiring to topple the PTI government in April 2022. He made these allegations during an interview on a private news channel claiming that Saudi Arabia was influenced by the US in regional matters. Mr. Marwat’s statements coincided with the visit of Saudi Foreign Minister to Pakistan.

Later, however, the PTI publicly distanced itself from Mr. Marwat’s comments, emphasizing its respect for Saudi Arabia. Party leaders dismissed the suggestion of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in any regime change conspiracy and clarified that Mr. Marwat’s remarks were his personal opinion and not reflective of the party’s official stance.

Mr. Marwat later clarified that his remarks were his personal opinion and had nothing to do with the party policy.^[16]

Judges receive letters laced with a suspicious toxic chemical

On April 2, the IHC Chief Justice, during the hearing of appeals by Mr. Imran Khan and Mr. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, disclosed that all eight judges of the IHC received letters laced with a suspicious toxic chemical. The letters were delivered through ordinary mail of Pakistan Post and were likely laced with the toxic chemical anthrax. ^[17]

On April 3, similar letters allegedly laced with a toxic substance arrived in the Supreme Court addressed to Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, and Justice Aminuddin. At least five judges of the Lahore High Court received similar letters, including Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh.^[18]

On April 04, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to solve the mystery of the ‘toxic letters’ received by around 17 judges of the superior courts. Initial beliefs that the suspicious powder in the envelopes was anthrax were dispelled after forensic analysis.^[19]

“Face-off” between Police and Army personnel

On April 12, Punjab government and the Pakistan Army pledged transparent investigations into a “face-off” between police and army personnel following the arrest of a serving officer in Bahawalnagar.

According to police sources, ASI Naeem and SHO Rizwan Abbas raided the house of Mohammad Anwar, a resident of Chak Sarkari, on April 7 for the arrest of his son Rafaqat over possession of an unlicensed pistol. However, Anwar’s son Mohammad Khaleel, an army official, along with his brother Idrees and other family members, took the two policemen hostage. The video of the police officers being taken hostage was uploaded on social media. In response, a police team reached the spot and got the SHO and ASI freed and arrested Mohammad Anwar and his sons Khalil and Idrees and in the process subjected the family members to severe torture and ransacked the house. A video of this act also went viral on social media.

Given the backlash on social media, IG Punjab, in a video statement released on April 12, chose to ‘condemn’ the ‘negative campaign’ on social media and rejected the allegations of delayed response saying the Bahawalpur RPO had immediately reached Bahawalnagar and approached army command in the area. He added that both the Punjab police and the Pakistan Army had initiated actions at their departmental level to affix responsibilities. ^[20]

In a press release issued by the ISPR on April 12, it was maintained that “an unfortunate incident occurred in Bahawalnagar .. which was promptly addressed and resolved through collaborative efforts of military and police authorities.” Despite this, stated the release, “certain factions with vested motives started fanning vitriolic propaganda on social media to create divisions between state institutions and government departments. To ensure a fair and deliberate inquiry, and to determine responsibility for violation of laws and misuse of authority, a joint inquiry comprising security and police officials will be conducted for ascertaining the facts and apportioning responsibility.” ^[21]

Suo Motu case on letter by IHC Judges

Hearing a suo moto case related to letter written by the six justices of IHC against interference of intelligence agencies in superior judiciary, Chief Justice of Pakistan remarked that the Supreme Court would not interfere in matters related to the high court, as past practices of interference did not yield positive outcomes. He was heading the six-member bench comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Musarrat Hilali, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan. CJP expressed also concerns about appointing a ‘monitoring judge,’ citing the example of Justice Ijazul Ahsan who served in a similar capacity during the Panama Papers cases against former Prime Minister, Mr. Nawaz Sharif.

Earlier on April 26, the Supreme Court consolidated ten petitions and applications concerning allegations of intelligence agencies’ interference in judicial matters. On April 13, Justice Yahya Afridi also recused himself from the case based on the argument that the Supreme Court should not intervene under Article 184(3) of the Constitution due to inaction by the Chief Justice or Judges of the IHC.^[22]

On April 28, the IHC came up with a ‘unanimous proposal’ on ways to end external meddling in judicial affairs. The proposal introduced penal consequences for the lower judiciary if they failed to communicate to their inspection judges any instance of external influence, but no similar measures were prescribed for judges of superior courts. The four-point resolution, signed by all eight IHC judges (including the six who wrote the original letter) proposed that in case someone approaches an IHC judge, they should report it to the chief justice of the high court in writing within seven days of the occurrence.^[23]

On April 03, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Qazi Faez Isa warned that any attack on the judiciary’s independence would not be tolerated.^[24]

Faizabad Inquiry Commission clears former DG ISI

The Inquiry Commission on Faizabad Dharna case exonerated former DG ISI Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Faiz Hameed from any involvement in the Faizabad dharna. In a 243-page report submitted to both the Supreme Court and the Federal Government on April 15, it was said that the investigation found no link to establish his involvement with the dharna along with former DG Rangers Major General, Naveed Azhar Hayat. The report recommended taking action against those involved in terrorism and other crimes during the sit-in. It suggested that cases related to these incidents may be re-opened and investigated and taken to a logical conclusion.^[25]

‘Million March against rigging by military establishment’: Fazl ur Rehman

In his first and fiery speech in the newly-elected National Assembly on April 29, Maulana Fazal ur Rehman again criticised the military establishment for “constantly interfering” in politics and announced his party’s plan to launch a protest movement against alleged rigging in the February 8, 2024 polls. “This system is not acceptable to us,” he said, adding that “if anyone tries to stop [protest marches], he will invite trouble for himself.” He also invited the PML-N and the PPP to join the march after handing over government to the PTI. ^[26]

Maulana Fazal ur Rehman said that Pakistan remained either under semi-martial laws or complete martial laws and questioned whether the current Parliament represented people or was it “constituted by the establishment?” The Parliament, he added, could not even legislate “without the approval of the powerful quarters,” and asked “how long we will continue to make compromises; how long we will continue to beg before them [establishment]?” Criticising the military, he said that those who should be “subservient” to politicians had become their “masters.” He also said that while the establishment controlled the country from behind the wall, politicians were put on the front to take the brunt and abuse from the people.

Questioning the lack of a system of accountability for the military, he said that while the former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had announced that a fence was erected on the Pak-Afghan border at the cost of billions of rupees, then how could 30,000 to 40,000 terrorists manage to cross the border and return to the country after becoming more powerful and create a law and order situation despite successful military operations against them in the past.

By-Election results show victory to the PML-N

In the by-election held on April 20, the PML-N and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) won a majority of the seats. Out of the 21 seats up for by-election, the PML-N won 12 seats and the IPP, the PPPP and the SIC candidates one seat each, while one seat won by an independent candidate. By-elections were held in six National Assembly constituencies, 12 Punjab, and two each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.^[27]

ECP lacks power of review: LHC

On April 23, Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court ruled that the ECP lacks the power of review under the Election Acts 2017 as it cannot undo its own decisions once the election process concludes and the gazette notification of the returned candidate are issued. The ruling set aside an ECP order where it directed a returning officer (RO) to recount votes after the consolidation of election results. Justice Karim highlighted section 95(6) of the Elections Act which confers the ECP with the power to direct a recount of ballot papers before the conclusion of result consolidation proceedings. He also criticized the ECP for misinterpreting its powers and emphasized that the ECP exceeded its jurisdiction by invoking Section 8 of the Elections Act, 2017. Justice Karim allowed the petition and struck down the ECP’s decision to hold a recount in the case of NA-81 (Gujranwala) constituency.^[28]

Spouse of Mr. Imran Khan poisoned, PTI alleges

On April 25, the PTI alleged that Ms. Bushra Bibi, wife of Mr. Imran Khan, was poisoned while in custody. The claim was made by Ms. Mashal Yousafzai, Advisor to CM KP, who said that former first lady’s food was poisoned during the month of Ramazan through two to three drops of toilet cleaner which resulted in deterioration of her health. Ms. Yousafzai also alleged that despite court orders, medical tests of Ms. Bushra Bibi were not conducted.^[29]

Earlier on April 4, a team of doctors who examined and collected samples from Ms. Bushra Bibi said they found no symptoms of slow poisoning in her body. ^[30]

No on-going dialogue with military establishment: Chairman PTI

PTI Chairman, Barrister Gohar Khan, MNA ruled out that any backdoor negotiations were ongoing with anyone including the military establishment as he spoke to the media outside Adiala jail after meeting Mr. Imran Khan on April 29. He acknowledged that Mr. Imran Khan had indeed nominated some party leaders for holdings talks but no dialogue had been initiated.^[31]

Earlie on April 26, Mr. Shehryar Afridi of the PTI had claimed that his party would hold “dialogues with the COAS and the Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI) soon” instead of talking to “rejected people” who reached the Parliament via “Form 47.”^[32] On April 26, Mr. Imran Khan, through a message using party office-bearers had also said that his party “will not strike a deal with those who kept the nation in chains of slavery.” ^[33] However on April 27, PTI spokesperson Mr. Rauf Hasan said that the PTI was committed to engaging with the military establishment within constitutional boundaries.^[34]

Developments on Enforced Disappearances

In further developments in the case on enforced disappearances before the IHC, Chief Justice of the IHC on April 24 expressed concern over the lack of self-accountability in intelligence agencies compared to other law enforcement agencies. He also questioned the effectiveness of the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

During the hearing, Attorney General submitted a report highlighting human rights violations and emphasized that while the judiciary would not protect terrorists, it would intervene to prevent extrajudicial acts. Justice Kayani pointed out that while police and other law enforcement agencies operated under statutory frameworks, intelligence agencies lacked such accountability mechanisms. He directed the Attorney General to inquire from the Defence Ministry about any mechanisms in place to oversee the operations of intelligence agencies.^[35]

Developments in trials of civilians in military courts

On April 24, the Supreme Court referred a set of intra-court appeals back to a three-judge committee against a ruling from October 23, 2023 which deemed the trials of civilians in military courts illegal.^[36]

Delay on the final decision on the issue has allowed those accused of violence on May 09, 2023 to languish in custody. The PTI and family members of the prisoners had demanded of the SC and CJP on April 25 to immediately constitute a larger bench to hear the cases of the civilians held in military custody to ensure their earliest release because civilians’ trials in military courts was “unconstitutional and unlawful.”

Earlier on March 28, a six-judge SC bench headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan had modified its December 13, 2023 order that suspended the operation of its October 23 decision which nullified the military trial of civilians involved in the May 9 violence. According to the amended order, a direction was issued that while military courts could commence trials but they will not convict or acquit any suspect until the pendency of government-instituted ICAs.^[37]

Resignation of Corps Commander Mangla

News began circulating on social media on April 04 that Corps Commander Mangla, Lt. Gen. Ayman Bilal Safdar Warraich, retired unexpectedly ahead of the conclusion of his term. No official announcement was made by the ISPR in this regard.

Lt. Gen. Ayman Bilal Safdar Warraich was elevated to the post of Lieutenant General in October 2022 and was part of what was termed as a ‘rare’ large number of promotions made by the outgoing COAS Gen. Bajwa before the conclusion of his term. ^[38]

In a talk show aired on April 27 on Samaa TV, Mr. Najam Sethi alluded that contrary to the speculations on social media, Corps Commander Mangla might have been asked to resign due to differences with the high command and to maintain the unity of high command in the Pakistan Army. “It is part of the game,” he said. ^[39]

COAS hosts Pakistan Cricket Team for Iftar Dinner

Chief of Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir, hosted an iftar dinner for the Pakistan Cricket Team at the Army House Rawalpindi on April 08. The team, shared the ISPR, had undergone and concluded physical training at Army School of Physical Training (ASPT) camp in Kakul, Abbottabad. Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, along with PCB officials also attended the iftar dinner. The ISPR stated that Pakistani cricketers thanked COAS for the excellent training provided to them at Kakul and the role Army plays in supporting the games in Pakistan.^[40]

264th Corps Commanders’ Conference

On April 16, General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, presided over the 264th Corps Commanders’ Conference held at the GHQ, Rawalpindi.

According to the ISPR, the conference “denounced malicious propaganda campaigns aimed at demoralizing the Armed Forces,” adding that “unfounded allegations are part of a larger design to drive a wedge between the people and the Armed Forces.” It warned of “stern action as per the law and constitution” against the culprits behind the propaganda.

The Corps Commanders’ Conference also “resolved to provide full support to the government in achieving sustainable socio-economic growth, including assistance in countering illegal activities such as smuggling, hoarding, electricity theft, and repatriation of illegal foreigners.” ^[41]

The conference also condemned the terrorist attack against Chinese nationals in Besham and the killings of innocent civilians in Balochistan as it was briefed on how terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan pose a threat to regional and global security, acting as proxies against Pakistan and its economic interests, particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The conference expressed serious concern over Indian aggression in the Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and reiterated Pakistan’s support for Kashmiri people. The forum expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine and condemned human rights violations, war crimes, and genocide in Gaza. It also noted escalating tensions in the Middle East and warned of a wider regional conflict if both sides did not de-escalate immediately.

Speaker National Assembly meets Foreign Dignitaries

1. On April 02, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, met with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, HE Mr. Jiang Zaidong at the Chinese Embassy Islamabad to express deep sorrow over the death of Chinese Nationals in the terrorist attack in Shangla Beshamin.^[42]

2. On April 04, Iranian Parliamentary Delegation led by HE Mr. Mahdi Safari, Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy along with Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan, HE Dr. Reza Amiri Moghaddam, called on Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[43]

3. On April 17, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Pakistan, HE Mr. Khazar Farhadov, called on Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[44]

4. On April 18, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, HE Ms. Jane Marriott, called on Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[45]

5. On April 19, Kazakhstan Ambassador to Pakistan, HE Mr. Yerzhan Kistafin, called on Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[46]

6. On April 22, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, met with HE Ebrahim Raisi, President of Iran, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[47]

7. On April 24, Portuguese Envoy to Pakistan, HE Mr. Manuel Frederico Pinheiro Da Silva, called on Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[48]

Chairman Senate meets Foreign Dignitaries

1. On April 22, Senator Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate of Pakistan, met HE Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[49]

2. On April 24, US Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Donald Blome, called on Senator Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate of Pakistan, at the Parliament House, Islamabad.^[50]

Interactions of COAS with Foreign Dignitaries

During April 2024, General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, held following meetings and interactions with foreign dignitaries:

1. On April 16, HH Prince Faisal bin Furhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of KSA, accompanied by a delegation, met with General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, at the GHQ.^[51]

2. On April 18, HE General Metin Gürak, Chief of the Turkish General Staff, met with General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, at the GHQ, Rawalpindi.^[52]

3. On April 19, HE Major General (Engineer) Talal Bin Abdullah Al-Otaibi, Assistant Minister of Defence, KSA, called on General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, at the GHQ.^[53]

4. On April 22, General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, met HE Ebrahim Raisi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, at the GHQ.^[54]

5. On April 29, HE General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, Commander Turkish Land Forces, called on General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, at the GHQ.^[55]

Prime Minister’s Interactions with COAS

Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir were together in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister to address the issue of smuggling. The meeting was chaired by PM while the Chief of Army Staff also joined the meeting at the PM House, Islamabad. According to the PMO, the meeting was held where details of the report of the Investigation Committee headed by Mr. A. D. Khawaja were presented. It was shared that a national anti-smuggling policy is close to finalisation after consultation with all stakeholders. ^[56]

References

1. Iftikhar A. Khan, “Coalition sweeps Senate polls amid KP vote delay,” Dawn online, April 03, 2024, accessed April 15, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1825390/coalition-sweeps-senate-polls-amid-kp-vote-delay. ↑

2. Iftikhar A. Khan, “Senate chooses its custodians amid PTI walkout,” April 13, 2024, accessed April 17, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1826830/senate-chooses-its-custodians-amid-pti-walkout. ↑

3. “ملکی مسائل کے حل کیلئے بامعنی مذاکرات، پارلیمانی اتفاق رائے درکار ہے، صدر مملکت” Official Website of the President of Pakistan, April 18, 2024, accessed May 06, 2024. https://president.gov.pk/news/mlky-msayl-k-hl-kyly-bamaany-mthakrat-barlymany-atfak-ray-drkar-sdr-mmlkt-2. ↑

4. Kalbe Ali, Syed Irfan Raza, “Zardari urges end to polarisation amid PTI bedlam,” Dawn online, April 19, 2024, accessed April 19, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1828324/zardari-urges-end-to-polarisation-amid-pti-bedlam. ↑

5. Ayaz Yousafzai, “Premier Shehbaz appoints Ishaq Dar as deputy PM of country,” The News International online, April 28, 2024, accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1183267-premier-shehbaz-appoints-ishaq-dar-as-deputy-pm-of-country. ↑

6. Amir Wasim, “PML-Q gets all that it wanted; deputy PM, 15 ministers,” Dawn online, June 26, 2012, accessed May 06, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/729561/pml-q-gets-all-that-it-wanted-deputy-pm-15-ministers. ↑

7. “Meaningless appointment,” Dawn online, April 30, 2024, accessed May 06, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1830527. ↑

8. “Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) Conference was held today in which Federal Minister for Planning and Development Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for National Food Security Mr Rana Tanveer Hussain and General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) graced the occasion,” ISPR online, April 26, 2024, accessed April 27, 2024. https://ispr.gov.pk/press-release-detail?id=6827. ↑

9. “Pakistan-Saudi Arabia Investment Conference held in Islamabad,” SIFC online, April 16, 2024, accessed April 29, 2024. https://www.sifc.gov.pk/press-release/52. ↑

10. Wajih Ahmad Sheikh, “Senior SC judge wants ‘firewall’ against meddling,” Dawn online, April 28, 2024, accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1830120/senior-sc-judge-wants-firewall-against-meddling ↑

11. Wajih Ahmad Sheikh, “CJP Isa calls for SC to work with full capacity,” Dawn online, April 19, 2024, accessed April 19, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1828261/cjp-isa-calls-for-sc-to-work-with-full-capacity. ↑

12. Wajih Ahmad Sheikh, “CJP Isa calls for SC to work with full capacity,” Dawn online, April 19, 2024, accessed April 19, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1828261/cjp-isa-calls-for-sc-to-work-with-full-capacity. ↑

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