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THE budget is a tug-of-war between different interest groups. On one hand, there is explicit lobbying by various business groups and industry bodies that commission reports, hold events and engage policymakers.

These organisations, explains Dr Ali Hasanain, associate professor of economics at Lums, also meet political party leaders and bureaucrats in both formal and private settings to communicate their concerns and policy preferences.

This is broadly in line with how businesses operate globally. For ex­­ample, US President Donald Tru­­mp’s top backer in the last ele­ction was investor Timothy Mel­l­­on, who gave $150 million to Make America Great Again, Inc., follow­­ed by Elon Musk, who gave $118.6m.

But while lobbying and formal influence exist everywhere, the distribution of power is far less orderly in Pakistan. No single player is all-powerful, though wealth is concentrated in relatively few hands. Instead, policy becomes outcome of fragmented pressure from multiple directions.

The big boss may be IMF, but Pakistan remains a sovereign nation, not a subject of the Fund

In Pakistan’s case, this fragmentation is further constrained by an external anchor: the IMF. Under successive programmes, Pakistan is required to meet a long list of targets. Yet within those constraints, governments tend to follow the path of least resistance, typically raising taxes on those already in the tax net rather than expanding it. This tendency is reinforced by a deeper structural weakness: the lack of strong feasibility studies for projects. Plans are often undertaken without adequately accounting for inefficiencies, bureaucratic incompetence, weak political leadership and changing political equations, he says.

‘Noise’ from lobbies

On the one hand, there are concentrated lobbies; on the other, there is the politics of visibility, the ‘noise makers’.

Take retailers and wholesalers, for instance. They remain among the country’s most undertaxed sectors and have repeatedly been identified by the IMF as areas requiring reform. Yet, even the latest small trader scheme is less a tax reform than a negotiated settlement.

“Combined together, they can make a lot more noise than your typical person” and therefore can remain broadly outside the tax net, points out Ammar Habib Khan, assistant professor of practice at IBA, Karachi.

He cites solar net metering as another classic example of the power of noise. “There are only about 400,000 net-metering users, but they can make so much noise that the government finds it difficult to make a reasonable decision,” he says.

“Globally, the transition from net metering to net billing is fairly standard. However, policymakers struggle to make that decision because many of the people affected are wealthy, influential and belong to powerful families.”

This creates a second-order distortion in the process: not just who has formal access to power, but who can raise the political cost of change.

The IMF influence equation

Pakistan’s role on the global chessboard is defined by more than just its GDP.

The nuclear-armed state shares borders with Afghanistan, India, Iran and China while also close to Russia and key Gulf chokepoints. It is one the most densely populated countries, and an important part of the Muslim world.

The United States is the largest single member of the IMF, with the highest financial contribution and voting power. The Fund has a lending capacity of roughly $1 trillion. By comparison, what the US economy produces in about a week — roughly $570 billion — exceeds Pakistan’s annual GDP of approximately $452bn.

Against that backdrop, a $7bn IMF programme, staggered over three years and repayable with interest, is small in financial terms but significant in terms of influence. It is a low-cost, high-leverage exposure to a strategically important state.

The big boss may be the IMF, but Pakistan remains a sovereign nation, not a subject of the Fund. As a lender of last resort, the IMF steps in when a country faces a severe financial crisis.

“When the lender comes to collect, whether you pay it off by selling your wife’s jewellery, dipping into your savings, or using your son’s tuition fund is up to you. The lender’s job is to collect,” Dr Hasnain explains, arguing that while the goals may belong to IMF, the mechanisms belong to Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2026

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WASHINGTON: Rising inflation and persistent energy price pressures have sharpened political divisions in Washington, with Democrats blaming President Donald Trump’s Iran policy and trade agenda for worsening economic conditions for American households.

The latest figures showing inflation at 4.2 per cent in May, compared with wage growth of 3.4pc over the same period, have revived concerns that real incomes are being eroded as the cost of living continues to rise.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer criticised the administration’s handling of the economy and foreign policy in a sharply worded social media post.

“Another month of Trump’s illegal Iran war, another month of Trump’s tariffs, another month of Republican control of Congress. The result? A new all-time high for Trumpflation,” he wrote.

He also highlighted remarks by economist Heather Long of Navy Federal Credit Union, who warned that inflation was outpacing wages.

“Inflation is so high that it’s erasing all wage gains,” she said. “Inflation: 4.2pc in May for the past year. Wage growth: 3.4pc in May for the past year. Americans are getting squeezed financially.”

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, accused President Trump of breaking key campaign promises on war and the economy.

“President Trump promised no new wars. He promised to lower your energy costs and tame inflation,” she said.

“Instead, he started a reckless war with Iran. He’s spiked gas prices. And inflation has soared month after month. He lied, and it’s the American people who are paying the price.”

In the House of Representatives, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries described the conflict as a “reckless war of choice,” calling it “Day 100 of the reckless war of choice in Iran” and urging congressional action.

“It’s time for the Republican-controlled Senate to move our war powers resolution,” he said. “So we can end this costly conflict immediately.”

Analysts say the transmission channel between the conflict and US inflation runs primarily through global energy markets, where disruptions in supply expectations can quickly feed into higher fuel costs for American consumers.

Matthew Kroenig of the Atlantic Council warned that energy markets remain highly sensitive to geopolitical instability. “The energy market is global, and disruptions to supply anywhere result in price spikes in the United States,” he said.

Former US intelligence official Beth Sanner warned that widening regional instability involving Iran, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon and Syria risked complicating diplomatic efforts and sustaining long-term uncertainty across the Middle East.

Beyond the United States, economists note that prolonged instability in global energy markets also carries indirect consequences for import-dependent economies such as Pakistan.

Higher oil prices tend to feed into transport costs, food inflation and external account pressures, making emerging markets particularly vulnerable to sustained volatility.

As the conflict continues, the debate in Washington is increasingly defined by inflation data, household financial stress and questions over the scope of US military engagement abroad.

While policymakers focus on domestic economic pain, analysts warn that geopolitical shocks are reinforcing inflationary pressures that extend well beyond the United States.

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GILGIT-BALTISTAN: Protests blocking the Karakoram Highway in Diamer and other areas continued for a third day against the repolling and delay in the announcement of official results in various constituencies.

Yesterday, the Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission ordered re-polling on polling stations in Skardu-II (GBA-8), Astore-I (GBA-13), Diamer-I (GBA-15), Diamer-II (GBA-16) and Diamer-III (GBA-17) and directed that the results of the June 7 election must not be consolidated until re-polling in five constituencies is completed.

Supporters of PPP candidate Attaullah from GBA-16 Diamer-II staged a protest outside the district returning officer’s office in Chilas, blocking the Karakoram Highway and demanding the counting of postal ballots and the announcement of the constituency’s final result without delay, as well as the cancellation of re-polling at three polling stations.

The Karakoram Highway has remained closed to all traffic for the third day. Travellers between Gilgit-Baltistan and other parts of the country faced difficulties and used Babusar Road and other alternative routes. However, on Wednesday, protesters temporarily reopened the highway for two hours to allow stranded passengers to pass.

Protesters said the protest would continue until the official results were issued “transparently”.

Speaking to the media, PPP candidate Attaullah said polling was held on June 7 in the presence of all agents and that Form 45 was issued.

“Form 47 was also prepared on the basis of Form 45; now only the counting of postal ballots remains,” he said.

He said that ordering re-polling by delaying the counting of postal ballots was “unacceptable” under any circumstances.

Attaullah alleged that an attempt was being made to snatch the public mandate in GBA-16 Diamer-II.

According to Form 47, independent candidate Imam Malik’s votes were shown to be 24 more than those of the PPP candidate. However, according to official figures, Imam Malik has 180 postal votes while Attaullah of the PPP has 473 postal votes.

The protesters claimed that, according to the clear record of Form 48, Attaullah had won the election by 269 votes.

They said the Election Commission had withheld Form 48 and issued a notification for repolling at three polling stations in the constituency.

They said the Commission’s decision for repolling was a “complete excess and robbery” of the public mandate.

The protesters also staged demonstrations outside the Election Commission’s secretariat in Gilgit, blocking Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam and demanding the announcement of GBA-16 results after the counting of postal ballots, without conducting re-polling at three stations.

Likewise, the PPP candidate for GBA-20 Ghizer-II also protested against the returning officer’s decision to announce the final result without conducting a recount.

Addressing supporters, PPP candidate and Speaker of the GB Assembly Nazir Ahmed Advocate alleged that election authorities had announced the official results without conducting a recount, despite the commission’s order.

He claimed that officials changed their position after deciding not to implement the recount order issued by the commission.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission withdrew its earlier notification ordering a re-poll at 10 polling stations in constituency GBA-08 Skardu-II.

According to a notification issued on June 10, the commission reviewed a fact-finding report submitted by the district returning officer, Skardu, following objections raised over the basis of the re-poll order issued on June 8.

The report concluded that polling at the concerned stations was conducted “peacefully and in accordance with the law, with no evidence of violence, intimidation, polling station capture, tampering of election material or any other irregularity” that could have materially affected the transparency, fairness or result of the poll.

The commission stated that the allegations supporting the request for a re-poll remained unsubstantiated and that the legal conditions required under Section 9 of the Elections Act, 2017, for ordering a re-poll had not been met.

The commission therefore withdrew the June 8 notification directing a re-poll and instructed the returning officer for GBA-08 Skardu-II to proceed with the remaining election process, including the consolidation of results, in accordance with the law.

Following the commission’s order, the returning officer for GBA-08 declared Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen’s (MWM) candidate, Kazim Mesum, the winner.

In another development, the commission ordered an investigation into polling irregularities and alleged corrupt and illegal practices in constituency GBA-09 Skardu-III.

An order issued by the commission to the returning officer GBA-9 said, “Application submitted by Wazir Muhammad Saleem be sent to the DRO, Skardu, for inquiry and report; whether the allegations levelled in the applications are correct? In the meantime, Form-48 will remain suspended till completion of the inquiry.”

“In view of the above directions of the Chief Election Commissioner, Gilgit-Baltistan, you are requested to examine the allegations raised in the applications and ascertain whether the polling process was obstructed, interrupted, suspended, prematurely terminated, or captured by any person or group of persons; whether it was affected by violence, disorder or unlawful interference; whether any ballot box, ballot papers or election material were snatched, stolen, tampered with or unlawfully removed; and whether polling staff or polling agents were prevented from performing their lawful functions, which may have materially affected the transparency, fairness or result of the poll,” the order read.

It urged the district returning officer (DRO) to provide clear findings and recommendations on an immediate basis for submission.

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• Budget delay exposes Centre-province fiscal deadlock
• NFC shares may be frozen under budget pressure
• Critics say Centre ignores revenues kept outside divisible pool
• Experts blame fiscal crisis on low tax collection, debt, federal spending
• Raza Rabbani warns of phased rollback of 18th Amendment, NFC Award

WHEN Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb rises to present his third budget, the usual questions will apply. Which sectors face fresh taxation? Will the salaried class get any relief? How much will the cost of living increase? Who will get tax benefits, and who will not?

But this year, there is an additional dimension worth watching closely. Will the budget clip provincial finances? Will the Centre freeze provincial shares under the current National Finance Commission (NFC) arrangement and push fresh expenditure obligations onto provinces — over and above their existing requirement to produce a primary surplus?

If it does, it would amount to a unilateral revision of the NFC arrangement through the back door of the budget.

When parliament adopted the landmark 18th Amendment in 2010, it was meant to settle a long-running devolution dispute between the provinces and the Centre. The 7th NFC Award corrected decades of fiscal imbalance, giving smaller provinces — particularly Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — a larger stake in national revenues. It was a moment of rare political consensus. Fifteen years on, that settlement is being unravelled: not through a constitutional amendment or fresh consensus, but through pressure and demands that provinces simply hand the money back.

The announcement of Budget 2026-27 has been postponed twice as the Shehbaz Sharif government, its coalition partners and provincial governments struggle to agree on the Centre’s demand for additional funds of more than Rs1.2 trillion for strategic needs. The National Economic Council meeting, last called for June 9, was postponed for the fourth time amid continuing negotiations over the federal demand to freeze provincial shares in the federal tax divisible pool.

Former Pakistan chief economist Rashid Amjad called it a potential tragedy. “That [7th Award and 18th Amendment] is the best thing which has happened to Pakistan; it empowers provinces and strengthens the federation. They say they want to decentralise powers but they don’t want to give up power in the federal government,” he said.

‘Precarious situation’

Whatever is known about the contours of the federal government’s demand mostly comes from Muzzammil Aslam, finance adviser to the PTI government in KP, as the ruling PML-N and its principal coalition partner continue their discussions behind closed doors.

Aslam says the Centre told provinces their financial shares under the NFC for the current year would not be increased next year, and that any amount above the current year’s share would have to be returned to the Centre. This demand comes over and above the Rs1.95 trillion cash surplus that provinces have already committed under the National Fiscal Pact pushed by the IMF.

Aslam warned the move would push provincial budgets into deficit. “I have not seen such a precarious situation in the past 21 to 22 years that I have been following budgets,” he told journalists after a meeting with a federal team led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.

He acknowledged that “the demand for the strategic purpose is not unjustified and is in the national interest, but Sindh and Punjab will have to show generosity.” He also noted that the matter was beyond the KP government’s powers and required consultation with jailed PTI leader Imran Khan before any decision could be taken.

On the constitutional bar on reducing provincial NFC shares during a fiscal year, Aslam said there was no clear answer on the table — though the Centre perhaps intended to transfer funds to provinces and then seek their return, a workaround that raises serious questions of its own. As he put it, “everybody is standing on their toes” to find a solution, with no way forward yet in sight.

Also worth watching will be the PPP: what concessions it is willing to give, if any, and in exchange for what. Many believe the party has little room to refuse in the current political dispensation, with the coalition watching each move closely.

NFC rollback?

Proponents of the current NFC arrangement argue that the Centre’s posture did not emerge overnight. For years, Islamabad has pushed the narrative that the 7th Award — which hands 57.5 per cent of revenues to provinces — is the primary driver of its fiscal distress, leaving it unable to service debt, fund defence or complete strategic projects.

Critics say this narrative is built on selective accounting. By expanding non-shareable levies over the years, the federal government has quietly grown its own fiscal base while publicly lamenting its diminished share. “GST was replaced by a levy on petroleum products precisely so it wouldn’t go into the divisible pool. If it had remained GST, it would have had to be divided with the provinces,” said Ali Salman of the Policy Resea­rch Institute of Market Economy (PRIME).

A former Punjab finance secretary was equally blunt: “The NFC Award did not create the fiscal crisis; it inherited one. Debt and FBR dysfunction had crept into this system decades before provinces received a rupee more. Massive currency devaluation in recent years worsened this crisis. None of that has anything to do with how the divisible pool is split.”

Amjad identified the real squeeze. “When you are in an IMF programme, there are very strict macro-framework restrictions under which you work,” he said, adding that the government had compounded its difficulties by entering conflicts on multiple fronts simultaneously, driving federal expenses upward. “The only way you can square the circle is for provinces to take on more of the federal expenditures and run bigger surpluses.”

Salman noted that while the federal government bears a disproportionate fiscal burden, the revenue failure is shared. The NFC Award had set a target of bringing the tax-to-GDP ratio to 15 per cent within five years — a target the Centre never achieved, and one provinces did little to support either. “The abysmally low tax-to-GDP ratio of around 10pc is the core of the problem,” said Amjad. “The federal government must curtail its expenditures if it can’t raise tax revenues.”

Radical solutions?

Veteran PPP leader Raza Rabbani, who played a key role in building consensus on the 18th Amendment, warned that the Centre’s moves amounted to a gradual undoing of the constitutional order established in 2010. “They are rolling back the amendment in phases, and simultaneously the NFC Award, instead of reducing their own expenditure,” he said.

He pointed to devolved ministries still operating at the federal level as an obvious starting point, and called for cuts to civil bureaucracy perks. If the federal government was unwilling to take those steps, Rabbani proposed a more radical solution: hand over tax collection entirely to provinces, place federal expenditure before the Council of Common Interests, and have provinces contribute a proportionate share. “If they can’t put their own house in order, then they should stop tax collection altogether,” he said.

Rabbani reserved his strongest words for what he described as unprecedented IMF interference. “Based on my experience in politics, the level of IMF dictation regarding the budget is unlike anything I have seen before. This degree of micro-management of budget targets by the IMF is unprecedented,” he said, adding that the new fiscal targets being imposed on provinces also originated with the fund. “If parliament is to simply rubber-stamp an IMF budget, that is a different matter altogether.”

Whether provinces will ultimately cover the fiscal hole for Islamabad — and whether the Centre can build the consensus it needs — remain the central questions hanging over this budget season.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026

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The ​United States has denied entry to soccer referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who had been expected to be the ‌first Somali to officiate at a match in the World Cup.

A FIFA spokesperson said Artan would not be able to train or officiate at the World Cup — which kicks off on Thursday — after he was not allowed to enter the United States over the weekend.

Somalia’s government said it had unsuccessfully ​tried to negotiate with the US and FIFA so that Artan could enter the country and it was saddened ​by what had happened.

“His international achievements are a source of honour and pride for the Somali people,” ⁠Somalia’s sports ministry said in a statement.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Somali Football Federation (SFF) expressed sadness over the ​situation, calling Artan’s appointment a milestone for the country that resulted from years of dedication, professionalism and integrity.

The SFF said it has ​not received an official explanation as to why Artan was denied entry to the US, adding that it is working closely with FIFA and the relevant authorities to understand the circumstances of the situation.

FIFA says not involved in immigration policies

A senior Somali official told Reuters that diplomatic efforts were continuing ​to try to get Artan into the US for the tournament, but declined to share further details.

A FIFA spokesperson said the organisation “is ​not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed ‌at present”.

Artan ⁠said in a statement that despite the circumstances, he was in a positive mood and focused on the next challenges of his refereeing career.

“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.

It was not clear which game or games Artan would have refereed, ​although such information is typically ​only announced two to three ⁠days in advance.

US policies raise concerns ahead of world cup

Without naming him, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement that a Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul ​on Saturday and was deemed inadmissible due to vetting concerns.

The agency did not elaborate on those ​concerns, but said ⁠the referee underwent routine additional inspection before being denied entry.

“Admissibility determinations are made on a case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection,” the CBP said.

The Trump administration’s strict immigration policies have been a point of concern ahead of ⁠the World ​Cup. Last year, Washington imposed a sweeping travel ban on citizens of 12 ​countries, including Somalia.

Artan, who was named CAF’s Best Male Referee for 2025, had a valid visa, according to media reports.

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ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has taken action against over 100 officials for collusion with human smugglers since the 2023 Greece boat tragedy, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control was informed on Tuesday.

At least 209 people drowned and hundreds more were feared dead or missing after their overloaded boat capsized and sank in the open seas off Greece, in one of Europe’s deadliest shipping disasters in June 2023.

Briefing the committee today, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar said 132 enquiries were initiated, leading to 68 major and 36 minor penalties for officials who failed to follow the standard profiling mechanism and facilitated illegal migration.

He said 22,136 passengers were offloaded in 2026 after a strict assessment based on risk profiles. Deportations have also declined, with cases involving fake or forged documents dropping from 281 in 2024 to 13 so far in 2026.

“In 2024, a total of 35,459 passengers were offloaded, whereas deportations neared 68,877. In 2025, 39,786 were offloaded and deportations fell to 57,560,” Dr Anwar said.

“Due to strict profiling, deportation on fake documents has declined sharply.”

International concerns

The DG cited multiple concerns raised by international partners, including boat tragedies in the Mediterranean during smuggling attempts, illegal border crossings into the EU, and abuse of study visas in the UK and Cyprus.

“Pakistan is the 3rd largest student visa-receiving country of the UK, but around 10,000 misuse visas through asylum claims,” Dr Anwar said.

Eight UK universities have reportedly restricted student visa sponsorships for Bangladeshi students, while the UK has imposed restrictions on visa issuance for Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, citing study visa abuse.

High-level EU delegations had also raised concerns over illegal migration, including crossings from Belarus into Poland. “Five hundred and eighty Pakistanis have not returned from Belarus,” he said.

Passengers departing for Cyprus on study visas often reroute to enter the EU, while Senegal and Mauritania routes are used to reach Spain’s Canary Islands.

Other challenges included beggary in GCC countries and stranded Pakistanis in Cambodia.

From 2024 to 2026, 24,922 passengers travelled to Cambodia, and 3,312 did not return to Pakistan. Many were working in scam operations or were subjected to bonded labour.

“Eighty per cent of travellers were on visit or tourist visas,” he said. Similarly, 7,721 passengers did not return from Azerbaijan, with 70 per cent on visit visas.

Dr Anwar revealed that attempts were made to use fake blue passports for travel to a third country, mainly originating from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. He added that 175 individuals deported last month had travelled to Malaysia and Azerbaijan on valid visas.

“Screening was the only way to prevent illegal migration, and a free-for-all cannot be allowed,” said DG FIA.

Policy measures

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued eight directives to curb human smuggling, while a committee formed after the 2023 incident recommended enhanced vigilance on travel to high-risk countries from hotspot districts.

To address grievances, Standing Order No 02/2026 introduced a formal appeal and review mechanism for offloaded passengers.

“Supervisory scrutiny and documented reasons are mandatory,” Dr Anwar said. Continuous oversight of offloading decisions is maintained, and actions are taken only on approved risk indicators.

Citing Frontex data, the DG said illegal migration towards Europe declined by 26pc in 2025, with a 64pc drop recorded in January–February 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.

Deportations due to organised begging fell by 75pc in 2025, while deportations for fake or forged documents dropped by 31pc. Overall deportations were down 16pc in 2025, he said.

“The International Centre for Migration Policy Development, an EU-based organisation, has acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts against human smuggling and trafficking,” added Anwar.

Tech upgrades

The FIA is working on Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record data for pre-risk assessment, e-gates for automated immigration control, and a mobile application for data collection called eIMMI.

“The IBMS and IT sections are being restructured in line with global standards,” said DG FIA, adding that a National Command and Control Centre is planned for integration of databases at airports, seaports and land border crossings.

An official from the Immigration and Passports Department (IMPAS) told the panel that 57,510 deportees are currently on the Passport Control List (PCL), commonly known as the black list.

It is a confidential register maintained by IMPAS that bars designated individuals from obtaining, renewing or using a Pakistani passport due to legal, security, criminal or administrative reasons.

Director Policy Shahid Riaz Gujjar said names are placed on the PCL under Rule 22 of the Passport Rules 2021 on written recommendations from Pakistani missions abroad or agencies such as Interpol, based on reports from host-country authorities.

He said names placed on the PCL on the recommendations of agencies, departments and courts are removed upon receipt of specific directions from the same forums.

The normal period of retention is five years, but it can be extended with justification.

Under SOPs issued by the Interior Ministry on March 11, 2025, individuals deported before May 8, 2023 should not be placed on the PCL as the two-year period has already lapsed. Those deported after May 8, 2023 will remain on the list for five years.

Persons deported for overstaying who later obtained a valid work visa or work permit will also not be placed on the PCL.

A committee constituted by the Ministry of Interior to review PCL policy has submitted its recommendations for approval.

The official further added that approvals for the issuance of passports against third and fourth lost passports were stopped “for further scrutiny” due to possible concealment of facts and misuse. Such cases are handled under Rule 15 of the Passport Rules 2021.

A separate committee was formed to propose policy on pending cases and its recommendations are awaiting approval.

Minister of State Tallal Chaudhry told the committee that there are restrictions on the issuance of a fresh travel document after the third or fourth lost passport.

“Many individuals report the loss of a second passport within a month. The IDs are sold and misused, bringing a bad name to the country,” he said.

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• ‘Proscribed’ JAAC to go ahead with rally from Bhimber to Muzaffarabad, sit-in outside assembly
• Officials say govt ‘will not allow’ march to go ahead; large crowds unlikely since group’s leadership is ‘on the run’

MUZAFFARABAD: In the aftermath of Sunday night’s fierce clashes that claimed the lives of seven civilians and four law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) braced for a shutter-down and wheel-jam strike on Tuesday (today) , announced by the proscribed Joint Awami Action Com­mittee (JAAC).

According to initial plans, the JAAC had decided that protesters would start a long march from the southernmost district of Bhimber, passing through Mirpur, Kotli and Poonch before reaching Muzaffarabad on June 10 for a sit-in outside the Legislative Assembly.

Government officials, meanwhile, appeared hopeful about the prospects of a tepid response to the protest call for several reasons, including the recent crackdown. In action against JAAC, the authorities had rounded up more than 200 people across the region and forced others into hiding, official sources and witnesses said.

“Situation is fluid. The JAAC leadership and crowd-pullers are on the run. So far, they haven’t been able to pull numbers on the streets, but there is a possibility of small protests at several places,” said one official.

“But it has been firmly decided that protesters will not be allowed to assemble anywhere, let alone stage a long march from one part of the state to the other,” another official said.

Some analysts were of the view that while shutters might remain closed and transport stay off the roads, the call for Tuesday’s strike was less likely to receive an overwhelming response due to the alleged stubbornness of the JAAC leadership.

“It was a good movement for rights in the beginning, but some of the committee’s obdurate and myopic leaders pushed it into a blind alley, for reasons best known to them,” remarked a retired government servant, requesting he should not be named. “Abolition of 12 seats might be close to the majority’s hearts in AJK, but it should not have been made a matter of life and death,” he added.

The officials who spoke to Dawn made it clear that the administration would neither force anyone to keep their shops open nor allow anyone to force others to shut down their businesses. “As long as people remain peaceful, the law will tolerate them. But the moment they try to create any problem, they will be dealt with firmly,” one of them said.

Rawalakot violence

On Monday, life remained normal in almost all parts of AJK, except Rawalakot, where shutters remained down for the second consecutive day and public transport stayed off the roads. Elsewhere, a partial strike was reported just from Dadyal, a lakeside town in Mirpur district.

In Rawalakot, the epicentre of the violence, the administration and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) succeeded in dispersing protesters shortly after midnight on Sunday. According to divisional commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan, the protesters had not only blocked access to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) but had also virtually taken over the facility, forcing doctors and paramedics to flee for their safety. He regretted that those present inside the hospital not only obstructed treatment for LEA personnel but also caused further injuries to some of them, apart from allegedly disrespecting the body of a martyred police constable.

Sharing details of the clashes, he alleged that the protesters possessed long-range firearms, petrol bombs and other ammunition. “They attacked law enforcers from side alleys with full planning, on the pattern of a guerrilla war,” he said. He said of the 30 or so hospitalised activists, three critically injured were airlifted to Islamabad along with four LEA personnel by helicopter.

Six activists remained under treatment in the hospital as detainees while others were shifted to the police station, he added.

Funeral prayers

Meanwhile, funeral prayers for the three AJK policemen — identified as SHO Hajira Muhammad Inayat and constables Muhammad Faisal and Faheem Anwar — were offered at 5pm at Rawalakot Police Lines with full honours. Among those in attendance were Chief Secretary Khushal Khan, IGP Liaqat Ali Malik and General Officer Commanding Murree Maj Gen Zarrar Mahmood.

The seven deceased civilians were identified as Usman Sabir of Koiyan village, Fahad Barkat of Rehara village, ex-serviceman Wasaid Siddique of Parrat village, Naqash Zardad of Matyalmera Danna village, Jamshed Ashraf of Hussainkot village, Muhammad Rasheed of Choti Nakkar Pakhar village, and Tariq Resham of Dothan village. The ex-serviceman was caught in crossfire, the commissioner claimed.

Sources disclosed that the funeral and burial rites of three activists, including Shazeb Habib, whose body had been lying in the CMH mortuary since Saturday, were performed by the administration and police, while those of the others were carried out by their families without any agitation.

In a statement posted on Facebook, a spokesperson for IGP Malik said that legal action against members of the proscribed committee allegedly involved in armed violence was continuing. He warned that strict legal action would be taken against those involved in attacks on LEA personnel and government property.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

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