A power cut hit large part of Pakistan on Wednesday, suspending work at factories and businesses in its industrial heartland and highlighting the challenges successive governments have faced in getting to grips with chronic power shortages.

The power cut could play into politics in the run-up to a general election, expected in July, given that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, had made ending power blackouts a central promise in its last election campaign.

Zafar Yab Khan, a spokesman for the ministry of energy, said the blackout had hit most of eastern and northern Pakistan after a major section of the national grid "tripped", or suddenly shut down.

"Due to tripping of a major plant, the north system is off," Khan said.

He said the cause was not known but was being investigated.

Khan said the problem affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the northwest and Punjab in the east, Pakistan's most populous province and its industrial and agricultural heartland.

Power in the south was not interrupted.

Punjab's capital, Lahore, was among the major cities affected. The power was also out in the national capital, Islamabad.

Khan said it was hoped power would be restored soon with "gradual restoration of grids and feeders."

Media showed pictures of people sweltering at the hottest time of the year in markets and offices.

The ruling party won the last election, in 2013, vowing to end power outages before the next polls.

Power cuts and scheduled outages, known as load shedding, in urban areas have been sharply reduced from about 12 hours a day previously to only occasional outages now.

The power cuts have suspended work at factories and businesses in its industrial heartland and highlighting the challenges successive governments have faced in getting to grips with chronic power shortages.

A power cut hit large part of Pakistan on Wednesday, suspending work at factories and businesses in its industrial heartland and highlighting the challenges successive governments have faced in getting to grips with chronic power shortages. The power cut could play into politics in the run-up to a general election, expected in July, given that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, had made ending power blackouts a central promise in its last election campaign. Zafar Yab Khan, a spokesman for the ministry of energy, said the blackout had hit most of eastern and northern Pakistan after a major section of the national grid "tripped", or suddenly shut down. "Due to tripping of a major plant, the north system is off," Khan said. He said the cause was not known but was being investigated. Khan said the problem affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the northwest and Punjab in the east, Pakistan's most populous province and its industrial and agricultural heartland. Power in the south was not interrupted. Punjab's capital, Lahore, was among the major cities affected. The power was also out in the national capital, Islamabad. Khan said it was hoped power would be restored soon with "gradual restoration of grids and feeders." Media showed pictures of people sweltering at the hottest time of the year in markets and offices. The ruling party won the last election, in 2013, vowing to end power outages before the next polls. Power cuts and scheduled outages, known as load shedding, in urban areas have been sharply reduced from about 12 hours a day previously to only occasional outages now.

Large parts of Pakistan hit by power cut

Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal underwent two successful consecutive surgeries&nbspon Monday after being shot in an apparent assassination bid by a religious fanatic during an election rally in Punjab province, as another suspect has been taken into custody.

Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack on Sunday.

An official at the Services Hospital here said that the surgery was successful and Iqbal is recovering well.

"Iqbal is out of danger and recovering fast," he added.

Iqbal underwent two consecutive surgeries and has now been shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital.

"The abdominal laparoscopy of Iqbal has been performed. Bullet has not breached peritoneum and all intra-abdominal organs are intact. No expanding hematoma. Decision not to remove the bullet from his abdomen has been taken by the group of senior doctors considering that it may lead to more tissue damage," the official of the hospital where the procedure was performed said.&nbsp

He said the bullet had also penetrated the right elbow joint of the minister.&nbsp

Meanwhile, police have booked suspect Abdi Hussain, 21, under attempted murder and terrorism charges of Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act. Azeem, an accomplice of Hussain, who reached the rally along with him has also been arrested.

Iqbal was leaving a venue after addressing the election rally in his hometown Narowal, some 80 kms from Lahore on Sunday at 6.15pm when Hussain opened fire at him, injuring his arm and abdomen.&nbsp

Narowal senior police officer Imran Kishwar said the suspect could not get a chance to open second fire on the minister.&nbsp

"The moment Hussain opened the fire on the interior minister the PML-N workers present there grabbed him," he said.&nbsp

Hussain belongs to the religious outfit - Tehreek-e-Labbaik Yarasoolallah Pakistan (TLYP), according to preliminary investigation.

"The suspect who opened fire on the interior minister belongs to the TLYP. We know the motive of this attack but I want to tell that this is a very dangerous game being played against the PML-N," Information Minister Marrium Aurengzeb said. Talking to reporters she said "this politics of hatred" should be stopped now.

A senior police officer said that the suspect told investigators that he opened fire on the minister to take revenge on the ruling PML-N for trying to delete the clause related to the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (the finality of Prophet Muhammad) from the Constitution.&nbsp

"The suspect belongs to a religious family and a worker of the TLYP," he said.

Today, he said Hussain had made a confessional statement saying "he acted alone because his religious sentiments were hurt by the PML-N government's decision.

A couple of months ago Iqbal had also faced a shoe-attack in his hometown. However, the shoe-attacker was arrested and later freed after Iqbal pardoned him.&nbsp

The suspect then claimed that he hurled the shoe at him because he was not happy with the PML-N government to change the clause from the Constitution related to the finality of the Prophet.

PML-N federal ministers Khwaja Saad Rafique and Talal Chaudhry have expressed their fear that the attack could be a conspiracy to delay election or stop the PML-N from taking part in upcoming general election.

Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack on Sunday

Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal underwent two successful consecutive surgeries&nbspon Monday after being shot in an apparent assassination bid by a religious fanatic during an election rally in Punjab province, as another suspect has been taken into custody. Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack on Sunday. An official at the Services Hospital here said that the surgery was successful and Iqbal is recovering well. "Iqbal is out of danger and recovering fast," he added. Iqbal underwent two consecutive surgeries and has now been shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. "The abdominal laparoscopy of Iqbal has been performed. Bullet has not breached peritoneum and all intra-abdominal organs are intact. No expanding hematoma. Decision not to remove the bullet from his abdomen has been taken by the group of senior doctors considering that it may lead to more tissue damage," the official of the hospital where the procedure was performed said. He said the bullet had also penetrated the right elbow joint of the minister. Meanwhile, police have booked suspect Abdi Hussain, 21, under attempted murder and terrorism charges of Pakistan Penal Code and Anti-Terrorism Act. Azeem, an accomplice of Hussain, who reached the rally along with him has also been arrested. Iqbal was leaving a venue after addressing the election rally in his hometown Narowal, some 80 kms from Lahore on Sunday at 6.15pm when Hussain opened fire at him, injuring his arm and abdomen. Narowal senior police officer Imran Kishwar said the suspect could not get a chance to open second fire on the minister. "The moment Hussain opened the fire on the interior minister the PML-N workers present there grabbed him," he said. Hussain belongs to the religious outfit - Tehreek-e-Labbaik Yarasoolallah Pakistan (TLYP), according to preliminary investigation. "The suspect who opened fire on the interior minister belongs to the TLYP. We know the motive of this attack but I want to tell that this is a very dangerous game being played against the PML-N," Information Minister Marrium Aurengzeb said. Talking to reporters she said "this politics of hatred" should be stopped now. A senior police officer said that the suspect told investigators that he opened fire on the minister to take revenge on the ruling PML-N for trying to delete the clause related to the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (the finality of Prophet Muhammad) from the Constitution. "The suspect belongs to a religious family and a worker of the TLYP," he said. Today, he said Hussain had made a confessional statement saying "he acted alone because his religious sentiments were hurt by the PML-N government's decision. A couple of months ago Iqbal had also faced a shoe-attack in his hometown. However, the shoe-attacker was arrested and later freed after Iqbal pardoned him. The suspect then claimed that he hurled the shoe at him because he was not happy with the PML-N government to change the clause from the Constitution related to the finality of the Prophet. PML-N federal ministers Khwaja Saad Rafique and Talal Chaudhry have expressed their fear that the attack could be a conspiracy to delay election or stop the PML-N from taking part in upcoming general election.

Pakistan minister undergoes surgery after assassination attempt; another suspect arrested

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has accepted the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) pre-condition to let the Pakistani rupee depreciate by over four per cent to qualify for any fresh bailout package needed to avoid a default-like situation.

Notwithstanding Adviser on Finance Miftah Ismail`s statement that the government is not seeking any IMF assistance, the latter is said to have been obliged to steer through highly difficult 2017-18 and 2018-19 financial years respectively.

The PML-N government is likely to take up the issue of new IMF financing in April during World Bank-IMF spring meetings in Washington DC, in lieu of the worsening Balance of Payments (BOP). According to Ismail, he does not foresee any further downward readjustment of the currency in the near future.

However, officials of State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country and the Ministry of Finance have maintained that lobbyists at home and abroad are working to persuade the authorities to go for another depreciation, not before June. Sources described it as a 'panic situation' in the Ministry of Finance and the word 'bottom line' is being used for seeking an emergency $6-7 billion in IMF assistance, in order to make timely repayments and tackle the looming balance of payments crisis, The Express Tribune reported. In the absence of any credible economic team, two finance ministry officials, Talib Balouch and Khaqan Najeeb, have suggested two options.

While Talib is calling for the seeking IMF assistance to ward off the impending balance of payments crisis, Khaqan suggests acquiring commercial loans continuously at a high markup. Since the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have linked their annual assistance to the IMF's signal, seeking commercial loans, particularly from China and Chinese commercial banks, are seen a viable option to manage external inflows.

A total of $1.3 billion in commercial borrowing had been obtained in the last few months, which also included $900 million in just one quarter. Successive secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and governors of State Bank of Pakistan are being held responsible for having created the current economic mess due to which the fiscal and current account deficits have increased disproportionately, causing new difficulties for the country.

Meanwhile, uncertainty over the economic situation in Pakistan has grown following the release of post-programme monitoring report by the IMF that believes risks to macroeconomic stability are increasing and widening fiscal and external deficits could land the country into new trouble. The timing of the report has been termed "intriguing" by independent economists as it eroded investors' confidence.

Experts have said that the IMF officials were 'partners in crime' as they had been waiving things by giving a clean bill of health to the Pakistani economy during the three-year $6.67 billion Extended Fund Facility that ended in September 2016.

The report pointed out serious risks that they believe of IMF officials surfaced after the completion of the programme. In fact, experts are suggesting that as long as the IMF programme continued, Pakistan's economy will keep on collapsing.

The PML-N government will complete its five-year term by early June this year. By at that time, external debt and liabilities would have crossed the $ 100 billion mark, which also includes the $2.5 billion added by the latest depreciation of the Pakistani rupee. The Pakistan government plans to have its revenue collection target fixed at 4.5 trillion Pakistani rupees for the financial year 2018-19.

Furthermore, the country will be forced to go for a strict stabilisation policy in the name of "austerity". But there is a growing consensus that the so-called stabilisation has caused problems to the economy's growth.&nbsp;

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has accepted the International Monetary Fund`s (IMF) pre-condition to let the Pakistani rupee depreciate by over four per cent to qualify for any fresh bailout package needed to avoid a default-like situation

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has accepted the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) pre-condition to let the Pakistani rupee depreciate by over four per cent to qualify for any fresh bailout package needed to avoid a default-like situation. Notwithstanding Adviser on Finance Miftah Ismail`s statement that the government is not seeking any IMF assistance, the latter is said to have been obliged to steer through highly difficult 2017-18 and 2018-19 financial years respectively. The PML-N government is likely to take up the issue of new IMF financing in April during World Bank-IMF spring meetings in Washington DC, in lieu of the worsening Balance of Payments (BOP). According to Ismail, he does not foresee any further downward readjustment of the currency in the near future. However, officials of State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country and the Ministry of Finance have maintained that lobbyists at home and abroad are working to persuade the authorities to go for another depreciation, not before June. Sources described it as a 'panic situation' in the Ministry of Finance and the word 'bottom line' is being used for seeking an emergency $6-7 billion in IMF assistance, in order to make timely repayments and tackle the looming balance of payments crisis, The Express Tribune reported. In the absence of any credible economic team, two finance ministry officials, Talib Balouch and Khaqan Najeeb, have suggested two options. While Talib is calling for the seeking IMF assistance to ward off the impending balance of payments crisis, Khaqan suggests acquiring commercial loans continuously at a high markup. Since the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have linked their annual assistance to the IMF's signal, seeking commercial loans, particularly from China and Chinese commercial banks, are seen a viable option to manage external inflows. A total of $1.3 billion in commercial borrowing had been obtained in the last few months, which also included $900 million in just one quarter. Successive secretaries of the Ministry of Finance and governors of State Bank of Pakistan are being held responsible for having created the current economic mess due to which the fiscal and current account deficits have increased disproportionately, causing new difficulties for the country. Meanwhile, uncertainty over the economic situation in Pakistan has grown following the release of post-programme monitoring report by the IMF that believes risks to macroeconomic stability are increasing and widening fiscal and external deficits could land the country into new trouble. The timing of the report has been termed "intriguing" by independent economists as it eroded investors' confidence. Experts have said that the IMF officials were 'partners in crime' as they had been waiving things by giving a clean bill of health to the Pakistani economy during the three-year $6.67 billion Extended Fund Facility that ended in September 2016. The report pointed out serious risks that they believe of IMF officials surfaced after the completion of the programme. In fact, experts are suggesting that as long as the IMF programme continued, Pakistan's economy will keep on collapsing. The PML-N government will complete its five-year term by early June this year. By at that time, external debt and liabilities would have crossed the $ 100 billion mark, which also includes the $2.5 billion added by the latest depreciation of the Pakistani rupee. The Pakistan government plans to have its revenue collection target fixed at 4.5 trillion Pakistani rupees for the financial year 2018-19. Furthermore, the country will be forced to go for a strict stabilisation policy in the name of "austerity". But there is a growing consensus that the so-called stabilisation has caused problems to the economy's growth.

Pakistan's balance of payments worsens, likely to approach IMF next month

&nbsp;A shoe was hurled at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Tuesday during a rally in Gujrat city in Pakistan&#39;s Punjab province.

The shoe hit PTI leader Aleem Khan as he was standing alongside Imran Khan, reported Geo News.

The PTI chief had just turned to face a different direction when the shoe came flying in, hitting Aleem squarely on the chest, the report said.

Imran was addressing a public gathering and was present on top of a vehicle with fellow PTI leaders and staff.

Imran Khan concluded his address soon after the attack.

According to the reports, this isn&#39;t the first such attack on the PTI chief. Last week, a man was beaten up and handed over to police for allegedly trying to hurl a shoe at Imran as he was getting into his vehicle to leave the venue of a rally in Faisalabad.

Earlier on Sunday, a miscreant hurled a shoe at Pakistan&#39;s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif when he was about to address a gathering at Jamia Naeemia&#39;s mosque in Lahore.

Furthermore, on Saturday a man threw ink at Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif during his speech at the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz&#39;s (PML-N) workers&#39; convention in Sialkot, The man was taken into police custody.&nbsp;

The shoe hit PTI leader Aleem Khan as he was standing alongside Imran Khan

A shoe was hurled at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan on Tuesday during a rally in Gujrat city in Pakistan's Punjab province. The shoe hit PTI leader Aleem Khan as he was standing alongside Imran Khan, reported Geo News. The PTI chief had just turned to face a different direction when the shoe came flying in, hitting Aleem squarely on the chest, the report said. Imran was addressing a public gathering and was present on top of a vehicle with fellow PTI leaders and staff. Imran Khan concluded his address soon after the attack. According to the reports, this isn't the first such attack on the PTI chief. Last week, a man was beaten up and handed over to police for allegedly trying to hurl a shoe at Imran as he was getting into his vehicle to leave the venue of a rally in Faisalabad. Earlier on Sunday, a miscreant hurled a shoe at Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif when he was about to address a gathering at Jamia Naeemia's mosque in Lahore. Furthermore, on Saturday a man threw ink at Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif during his speech at the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) workers' convention in Sialkot, The man was taken into police custody.

Shoe hurled at Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been under house arrest since January this year. 
&nbsp; 
During the nine months of his detention, the Pakistani government&rsquo;s efforts at pursuing the case were at best lacklustre and seemed more cosmetic than anything, just like his house arrest during which he continued with his activities, and ran his charity organisation which many believe acts as a front and a reincarnation of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The JuD chief even managed to launch a political party by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML), but I will come back to that later. First, more on the court case. 
&nbsp; 
The judges hearing the petition &ndash; filed by Hafiz Saeed&rsquo;s lawyer who pleaded that there was no justification for Saeed&rsquo;s arrest &ndash; repeatedly asked the government&#39;s representatives, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials to present evidence that would ensure Saeed&#39;s continued captivity but the federal and provincial authorities failed to satisfy the courts. 
&nbsp; 
Does the government have this evidence? From what we know, India claims to have provided enough evidence against Hafiz Saeed for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks of 2008, which left 166 people dead.

Even the United States of America has put him on the Global Terrorist List.

However, in Pakistan, Indian claims are rejected outright while American labelling is also seen as India managing to convince the US through successful propaganda and nothing more. 
&nbsp; 
But there is another side to why the government has not pursued this case as it should have &ndash; its hands are tied by a powerful military establishment that does not want to share intelligence with its civilian counterparts.

In Pakistan, it is the military agencies that are thought to be responsible for domestic security affairs, especially when they concern&nbsp;intelligence gathering about a group like the JuD that has involvements in regional conflicts and affects Pakistan&rsquo;s foreign policy (which is also controlled by the establishment). 
&nbsp; 
But the military has even larger goals for the JuD &ndash; the MML (which I had mentioned earlier).&nbsp;

A few months ago, when the MML was being formed, a recently retired military general confided to the media that there was a plan by the Pakistan Army to mainstream militant groups into politics. While the idea was initially pushed with the clarification that this was the only way to de-radicalise such groups, it now seems the motives of the architects of the plan are quite different. 
&nbsp; 
The general elections in Pakistan are near and Nawaz Sharif has been on the warpath with the Pakistan Army ever since he was disqualified over the Panama Papers allegations.&nbsp;

Sharif alleges the military engineered his ouster and that there was no fair trial, and many agree with him.&nbsp;

Given that Sharif has been the one who is a big proponent of normalising relations with India, experts say the army does not want this, since no-conflict-with-India will reduce the relevance the military enjoys as the defender of Pakistan from a perceived Indian threat.

And so to stop Sharif&rsquo;s party &ndash; the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) &ndash; from being re-elected, the MML has been launched. The MML shares a voter-base with PML-N and will definitely dent its vote bank.&nbsp;

We saw an example of this in the recent Lahore city by-elections in NA-120, the seat where Sharif was disqualified from. The MML&#39;s performance was exceptional, and PML-N&#39;s Kulsoom Nawaz, Sharif&#39;s wife, did not win by the same percentage margin that Sharif did the last time. 
&nbsp; 
For now there are indications that the provincial government will make an attempt at issuing fresh orders of detention for Saeed but even if they manage to contain him, it is only a matter of time before the next order of freedom comes because there are power centres in the country that are more powerful than the civilian government. And if those powers want him out, no one can stop him from being a free man. 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

The judges have repeatedly asked the government for evidence to ensure Saeed's continued captivity but the authorities has been unable to satisfy the courts

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday ordered the release of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, who has been under house arrest since January this year. During the nine months of his detention, the Pakistani government’s efforts at pursuing the case were at best lacklustre and seemed more cosmetic than anything, just like his house arrest during which he continued with his activities, and ran his charity organisation which many believe acts as a front and a reincarnation of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. The JuD chief even managed to launch a political party by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML), but I will come back to that later. First, more on the court case. The judges hearing the petition – filed by Hafiz Saeed’s lawyer who pleaded that there was no justification for Saeed’s arrest – repeatedly asked the government's representatives, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials to present evidence that would ensure Saeed's continued captivity but the federal and provincial authorities failed to satisfy the courts. Does the government have this evidence? From what we know, India claims to have provided enough evidence against Hafiz Saeed for his involvement in the Mumbai attacks of 2008, which left 166 people dead. Even the United States of America has put him on the Global Terrorist List. However, in Pakistan, Indian claims are rejected outright while American labelling is also seen as India managing to convince the US through successful propaganda and nothing more. But there is another side to why the government has not pursued this case as it should have – its hands are tied by a powerful military establishment that does not want to share intelligence with its civilian counterparts. In Pakistan, it is the military agencies that are thought to be responsible for domestic security affairs, especially when they concern intelligence gathering about a group like the JuD that has involvements in regional conflicts and affects Pakistan’s foreign policy (which is also controlled by the establishment). But the military has even larger goals for the JuD – the MML (which I had mentioned earlier). A few months ago, when the MML was being formed, a recently retired military general confided to the media that there was a plan by the Pakistan Army to mainstream militant groups into politics. While the idea was initially pushed with the clarification that this was the only way to de-radicalise such groups, it now seems the motives of the architects of the plan are quite different. The general elections in Pakistan are near and Nawaz Sharif has been on the warpath with the Pakistan Army ever since he was disqualified over the Panama Papers allegations. Sharif alleges the military engineered his ouster and that there was no fair trial, and many agree with him. Given that Sharif has been the one who is a big proponent of normalising relations with India, experts say the army does not want this, since no-conflict-with-India will reduce the relevance the military enjoys as the defender of Pakistan from a perceived Indian threat. And so to stop Sharif’s party – the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) – from being re-elected, the MML has been launched. The MML shares a voter-base with PML-N and will definitely dent its vote bank. We saw an example of this in the recent Lahore city by-elections in NA-120, the seat where Sharif was disqualified from. The MML's performance was exceptional, and PML-N's Kulsoom Nawaz, Sharif's wife, did not win by the same percentage margin that Sharif did the last time. For now there are indications that the provincial government will make an attempt at issuing fresh orders of detention for Saeed but even if they manage to contain him, it is only a matter of time before the next order of freedom comes because there are power centres in the country that are more powerful than the civilian government. And if those powers want him out, no one can stop him from being a free man. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: If Pakistan Army wants, Hafiz Saeed will be a free man