Express Tribune Editorials 18th May 2025

[zarnishhayat]

Man-made famine

On May 11, just hours before Israeli American hostage Edan Alexander was released by Hamas, the nation of Gaza was celebrating news of a nearing ceasefire. Soon after Edan was received by his family, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that his country is "on the eve of a forceful entry to Gaza". While international politicians negotiate and Palestinian civilians are deceived over and over again, Gaza slowly sinks into a man-made famine caused by an almost 3-month-long blockade of food and medical aid.

A recent UN report suggests that 93% of the population of Gaza is currently living through high levels of acute food insecurity, with 1 in 5 people at risk of death due to starvation. A situation of unimaginable horrors in Gaza is once again at the mercy of a temperamental fascist.

Exactly a year ago, the people of Gaza were reportedly boiling weeds and eating animal feed to stave off their hunger. Now, the situation has worsened even further. Warehouses of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that store aid stand empty, along with most supermarkets and local shops.

If food miraculously exists, it sits as a mere symbol of unattainability for most of the population. This is because food prices have soared for basic goods such as wheat flour — which has experienced a three thousand per cent price spike since February.

As Israel purposefully starves almost 2 million people by refusing to let any food or medical supplies enter the region, it blames Hamas for causing hunger by allegedly stealing aid. But the extended blockade along with threats of escalated violence paint only one picture: Israel is wilfully using starvation as a weapon of war. It is loudly and publicly engaging in a war crime and an open human rights violation — all while international communities and leaders stand by and watch.


Curbing child marriage

In a long-overdue move, the National Assembly has passed a landmark bill aimed at curbing child marriage and forced conversions - two deeply intertwined abuses that have quietly devastated countless lives across Pakistan.


Tabled by MNA Sharmila Faruqui of the PPP and passed unanimously on Friday, the bill represents a rare moment of political unity and moral clarity in a legislative environment often hampered by indecision and appeasement.

Following the lead of Sindh and Punjab, the Islamabad Capital Territory has now adopted bold legal provisions that set 18 as the minimum legal age for marriage for both girls and boys. The bill mandates that no Nikkah registrar may solemnise a marriage without verifying the CNICs of both individuals.


Non-compliance — by parents, registrars or facilitators — will result in penalties of up to one year in prison and a fine of Rs100,000. Crucially, the legislation also repeals the outdated Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 — a colonial-era statute that has long failed to protect vulnerable children and has often served as a smokescreen for inaction. For decades, entire networks operating under religious and feudal cover have abducted underage girls, producing fabricated evidence of age and consent.

This new law signals a critical shift. However, legislation alone is not enough. The federal government must now follow through with robust implementation by training Nikkah registrars, launching public awareness campaigns and maintaining zero tolerance for violations.

Unfortunately, K-P and Balochistan still operate under antiquated frameworks that permit the marriage of girls as young as 16. Legal uniformity across all provinces is essential. It is time to ensure that every child in Pakistan, regardless of geography, is protected under uniform laws and afforded the same right to a safe and dignified childhood.


Crushing tax target

The IMF's latest tax policy suggestions for Islamabad in relation to the upcoming annual budget may cause further consternation, as salaried individuals can expect an even greater share of the tax burden to be placed on their shoulders.


At the core of the recent discussions between the government and the IMF has been the anticipated Rs14.307 trillion tax target, where the Washington-based lender is emphasising additional revenue measures and a rebalancing of fiscal resources.

The Fund has also pushed back against the government's desire to reduce the tax burden on the salaried class, effectively accusing the government of fudging the numbers to push through a reduction after statistics showed an astounding increase of over 50% in income tax recovered from salaried individuals this year. Despite this, the IMF is averse to even raising the exempted income level, let alone revising tax slabs.

At the same time, the government could do better than rely on the much-criticised Laffer Curve model to justify its tax policy. On that note, the competence of tax policymakers, up to and including members of the federal cabinet, can be gauged by the price of packaged milk.


Most countries exempt milk entirely or charge a lowered rate, usually without any variance based on packaged or raw milk. In our malnutrition-riddled country, packaged milk has an 18% tax rate, while raw milk is tax-free. Many FBR officials reportedly see nothing wrong with this situation. Meanwhile, poor urban dwellers must find a local cow if they want to get milk at an affordable price.

More common ground could be found, however, on privatisation-related issues. While sales of state assets are only one-time income, ridding the exchequer of bleeding assets brings long-term savings that help balance the budget.

The government could use these savings as justification for reducing some of the income tax burden or increasing some public spending, especially since there is likely to be a bump in the defence budget due to the simmering threat of conflict with India.