Accountability

According to the police, 1,663 scam cases were reported, with losses exceeding MVR 22.7 million, of which MVR 8.5 million has now been retrieved. Before the centre’s formation, authorities were only able to recover about two per cent of stolen funds.

The decision to halt salary payments has drawn concern from civil society groups and international observers, who warn that continued economic contraction could fuel social unrest or increased migration out of the country.

The accord, signed at Singha Durbar on Wednesday, comes three months after mass protests shook the country.

The report makes clear that safeguarding journalists is not simply a media-industry concern; it is a democratic imperative. Free, independent political coverage is essential for voters to make informed decisions, and safety is the minimum guarantee required to enable that.

In the long run, the minister said, the push for transparency is aimed at closing the revenue–development gap: ensuring that domestic resources mobilised from taxes contribute directly to societal growth and welfare, fulfilling the deeper principle underlying economic governance.

HRW has demanded that prosecutions must span ranks – from officers to mob leaders – alongside reforms to curb corruption and bolster digital rights.

As protests grow, human rights defenders are calling on Pakistan’s new administration to take immediate steps.

The mission emphasised that “standing with Afghan women” requires more than symbolic gestures: it requires resources, policy pressure, and the international will to ensure that women in Afghanistan can live with dignity and safety.