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Akhtar Mengal warns of parting ways with coalition govt over Foreign Investment Act

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  • Possibility of separation if concerns regarding bill not addressed: Mengal.
  • He says govt takes investors into confidence rather than parliament.
  • JUI-F’s senator says has been passed forcefully and with deceit.

Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chairman Akhtar Mengal has signalled that he may separate his party from the incumbent PML-N-led government at the centre, Geo News reported Tuesday.

Speaking during a Geo News programme “Capital Talk”, Mengal showed reservations about the Foreign Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act, 2022 to promote and protect foreign investment in relation to the Reko Diq project.

Mengal, whose party is one of the allies of the coalition government, said that there is a possibility of separation if concerns regarding the bill are not addressed.

The BNP-M leader said that the coalition government, instead of taking allies into confidence, takes investors into confidence. “More importance is given to the companies instead of the parliament. We will have to think about the basis of our unity,” he added.

Expressing his displeasure, Mengal said that a CEO of a company is respected more than the allies. He added that his province was “looted” by everyone. “The resources change people’s lives, but it is Balochistan’s misfortune that the way the resources were discovered there, they became a disaster for the people,” he added.

During the programme, another ally of the government Jamaat-e-Islami-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Senator Kamran Murtaza said that the Foreign Investment Bill has been passed forcefully and with deceit which is a threat to Pakistan. 

Senate okays Foreign Investment Bill

The upper house of parliament on December 12 approved the Foreign Investment (Promotion and Protection) Bill, 2022 in the midst of protests by opposition benches.

In light of the approval, the Pakistan government would sign the deal on December 15.  

President Arif Alvi also signed the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Bill 2022 on Tuesday turning it into an act. The law, which was already passed by two houses of parliament on Monday, is aimed at giving protection to foreign investments in the country. 

The statement from the Prime Minister’s House said the Ministry of Petroleum and other concerned ministries were also directed to go ahead with signing the Reko Diq deal on December 15. 

“The federal cabinet asked secretary/additional secretary petroleum under Rules of Business 1973 to sign the deal on behalf of the Pakistan government,” the cabinet decided. The statement said that the cabinet was apprised that a Presidential Reference under Article 186 was filed to secure legal opinion and the Supreme Court on December 9, 2022 declared that process of reorganisation of the Reko Diq project funding plan was transparent. The apex court also observed that the agreements which are being signed in this connection are also as per law.

The cabinet was also informed that it was decided with the coalition that legislation made in parliament was confined only to the Reko Diq deal. The meeting also okayed the regulatory framework for the Reko Diq Project Company.

The meeting also constituted a five-member committee, which would meet leaders of the coalition parties to remove their reservations. It was also decided certain amendments would also be made in consultation with stakeholders.

The five-member committee comprises Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Minister for Trade Syed Naveed Qamar and Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

In case the agreement is not signed by December 15, Pakistan would have to pay four million dollars per day as interest on the 5.9 billion dollars penalty imposed by the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes on July 12, 2019.

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KP CM Ganadapur granted three weeks of travel bail by PHC

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The chief minister of KP, Ali Amin Gandapur, has been granted three weeks of transit bail in his plea with the Peshawar High Court (PHC).

The appeal for information regarding charges against Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was considered by a two-judge panel from the PHC, which included Chief Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah.

The chief justice noted that the chief minister showed up for the court hearing, even though he was actually scheduled to be in Islamabad for an IMF meeting.

The applicant’s legal representative has asked for specifics of all pending charges against Chief Minister Gandapur, including those in Punjab.

According to the assistant attorney general, he told the ministry of the interior to adhere rigidly to court orders.

According to CJ Ibrahim, they have the option to request a response from the federal government and extend protection bail up to the Punjab region.

In every case, the additional attorney general ensured that court orders were implemented. He said that he had written to each district and requested details from the Punjab Police and the Inspector General.

The assistant attorney general has asked for an extension of three weeks to complete the report.

Gandapur could not attend the court daily due to his administrative duties and his position as chief minister and public office holder, according to Justice Asadullah.

After extending KP CM’s protective bail, the judge postponed the case hearing to December 17.

“Prepared to Protest”

Speaking to the media outside of PHC, KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur declared that he was prepared for the PTI protest meeting and that this time, the action plan will be stringent but undisclosed.

He emphasized that their peaceful protest was in accordance with their constitutionally protected right. According to him, his group was attacked, rubber bullets were shot, and routes were blocked so that protests couldn’t take place.

Importantly, on November 24th, Aleema Khan, who is the brother of PTI founder Imran Khan, said that her brother had called for a final protest.

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The acquittal request of PTI founder Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana-II case has been denied.

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Shahrukh Arjumand, the Special Judge for the Central Region, rejected the acquittal pleas submitted by Bushra Bibi and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder in the prominent Toshakhana reference case.

On Monday, possible charges may be officially filed against the accused, thanks to the court’s decision.

Claims in the lawsuit center on the alleged misappropriation of presents from the Toshakhana, a state depository for such gifts, and the matter has attracted considerable public interest. Following the acquittal plea’s denial, the prosecution will likely move forward with more legal actions, and the parties involved will likely make additional court appearances.

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PML-N President Nawaz Sharif’s Media Statement: Pak-US Relations Remain Stable and Will Enhance Following President-Elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration

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Nawaz Sharif, President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, has spoken hope regarding the stability and potential enhancement of Pakistan’s relations with the United States following President-Elect Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the recent US elections.

The PML-N President stated that the Indian cricket team ought to have visited Pakistan for the forthcoming Champions Trophy 2025, which may have enhanced bilateral relations.

Nawaz criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on smog pollution in Punjab, questioning, “Where is the billion-tree tsunami? Where are the billion trees, the 5 million jobs, and the dams?” I am unable to perceive anything. PTI should identify the project initiated during its governance at the federal level.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam stated that the smog issue has persisted for long years and cannot be rectified instantaneously; nonetheless, we are exerting our utmost efforts to address it. We are undertaking all necessary measures to address this issue. No measures were implemented previously to address this issue.

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