Express Tribune (April 5) feedback on the worrying arms build-up saying, “It would be one thing if India was quiet and methodical — building up a strong defence without threatening anyone. Unfortunately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade in charge has been quite the opposite.”

The Nation (April 1) notes the misuse of legislation enforcement companies, the acquisition of NDTV by Gautam Adani, the blanket bans on protection of Kashmir and the “constant news cycles of minorities in India being lynched by mobs or being subject to acts of Islamophobia” with the Ram mandir-Babri masjid example.

Keeping this cycle of repression and oppression in thoughts, the editorial concludes by saying, “Suppose this electoral outcome is really as inevitable in reality as it is in perception. In that case, we may be on the cusp of witnessing an India is more prone to religious extremism and autocratic principles than ever before – a truly heart-wrenching moment in the nation’s history.”

Where are the ladies within the judiciary?

Recently, a report by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan discovered that the illustration of feminine judges among the many highest courts in Pakistan is an abysmal 5.5 per cent. This signifies that out of the 126 judges on the Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court and the 5 excessive courts, there are solely seven feminine judges.

Dawn (April 3) speaks to the necessity for wider illustration within the Court saying, “Women bring unique insights to the bench, essential for addressing gender-specific issues and ensuring a more equitable dispensation of justice. Their presence is not only a matter of representation; it is a prerequisite for fostering a judiciary that reflects the values of fairness and equality.”

The Nation (March 31), too, laments the underrepresentation of ladies within the judiciary and suggests “the establishment of mentorship programs for women in the legal profession” to make sure “equal opportunities for career advancement”.

A disappointing World Bank prognosis

Earlier this week, the World Bank declared that Pakistan’s development for this fiscal yr shall be barely larger after it shrunk by 0.2 per cent final yr. Even so, it isn’t anticipated to go above three per cent for the following two years. The media believes that whereas an financial disaster has largely been averted within the brief time period, there needs to be an “articulation of an unambiguous policy direction… and deep structural reforms” to carry the economic system again on observe.

Express Tribune (April 4) says, “the biggest problems are still massive government debt, low revenue and inefficiency… The hope was that a strong new government could have changed this precedent, but voters had different priorities.” Moreover, with poverty having risen by 4.5 per cent and tens of millions extra falling beneath the poverty line, policymakers “can’t risk letting inflation rise again, especially when the working poor continue dropping into poverty.”

Dawn (April 4) reiterates that “Pakistan’s options are few at this point… the only way forward is to implement broad-based reforms on a sustainable basis.”

Joe Biden writes to Shehbaz Sharif

US President Joe Biden’s first letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif indicators a thaw within the relationship between the 2 nations. It is believed that after the cipher controversy throughout Pakistan’s ex-prime minister Imran Khan’s time period, “relations had gone cold” (News International, April 3). But on this letter, Biden has promised to face by Pakistan and keep a partnership to beat regional and international safety challenges.

Nonetheless, Daily Times (April 6) warns the federal government to “tread with caution”. It says, “Pak-US ties should be rebuilt with an emphasis on the issues concerning the two countries… Trying to involve the Afghan equation or expecting Washington to choose us over India, a trailblazing superpower, would be a gross mistake.”

News International (April 3) brings within the China hurdle and says that whereas “Biden underscored shared priorities in areas such as public health, economic development, and education, affirming a commitment to advancing together… many experts believe that the real test will be Pak-China relations as it is no secret that when it comes to CPEC, the US has its reservations because of China’s growing influence in South Asia. These reservations are not going anywhere.”

adya.goyal@expressindia.com