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85,000 Registered Refugee Families Returned to Afghanistan This Year
A total of 85,000 families totalling 380,045 registered Afghan refugees have returned to Afghanistan this year as part of the volunteer repatriation process of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an official said on Sunday. “This has been the highest number of volunteer returnees from Pakistan since 2006 due to various factors,” UNHCR spokesman Qaisar Khan Afridi told The News.He added that the repatriation process would be suspended for three months from December 1 to February 28, 2017 due to the winter season. The repatriation centres in Pakistan, two in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one in Balochistan, will be closed till February and will only process those Afghan refugees who had registered themselves with these centres by the end of the current month.Since 2002, UNHCR’s voluntary repatriation programme has helped nearly 4.1 million Afghans to leave Pakistan. The repatriation process intensified in July this year, mostly due to the alleged harassment and arrest of Afghan refugees’ families in Pakistan. It intensified further when the UNHCR doubled the cash compensation amount from 200 dollars to 400 dollars per individual. In October this year, a total of 148,692 Afghan refugees returned home, mostly from the UNHCR’s Chamkani Centre in Peshawar. In January 2016, a total of 325 individuals had gone back to Afghanistan, while it increased to 67,059 in August as per the information available on the UNHCR official page. The official document reveals that majority of Afghan refugees had returned from the Peshawar district and had settled in Nangarhar province upon reaching Afghanistan in the current year. The UNHCR spokesman, Qaisar Afridi, said that tight management at the Torkham border between Pakistan and Afghanistan starting from June 1 led to the rise in repatriation of Afghan refugees, who now need valid passports and visas to enter Pakistan. The short extension in the validity of the Proof of Registration (PoR) cards also led to a rise in...
The Islamic State-Taliban Rivalry in Afghanistan
Since 2014, the Islamic State has established a small presence in Afghanistan. Islamic State leaders call this province, or wilayat, “Khorasan,” a reference to the historical region that encompassed parts of Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Yet despite their effort to expand power and influence in the region, the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, as Islamic State leaders refer to the affiliate, controls virtually no territory except for tiny areas in such districts as Deh Bala, Achin, and Naziyan in the eastern province of Nangarhar. The Islamic State has conducted only a handful of attacks in the region, failed to secure the support of most locals, and struggled with poor leadership. The Afghan Taliban has emerged as one of the Islamic State’s fiercest enemies, though the U.S. and Afghan governments have conducted strikes as well. Taliban commanders have orchestrated an aggressive campaign against the Islamic State to kill its senior leaders, co-opt its members, and undermine its ideology. This development is a double-edged sword for the United States, with broader implications in the campaign to unseat the Islamic State from territorial control in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The weakening of the Islamic State is a positive step. But Taliban successes against Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s organization have increased the Taliban’s strength in eastern and southern Afghanistan, creating a separate challenge for the United States and its allies. The Rise of the Islamic State in Khorasan In 2014, Islamic State leaders communicated with militant groups in South Asia to gauge the possibility of expanding the Islamic State’s influence in the region. The Islamic State began conducting an information campaign through word of mouth, printed material, and other forums. Islamic State sympathizers, for example, distributed a 12-page printed booklet titled “Fateh” (or “victory” in Pashto) in Pashtun areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. As Tehreek-e-Taliban...
CHINA WATCH [NOVEMBER 19-28] CHINA-PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was the prominent topic in news this week. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif linked the future of the region to CPEC. Pakistan welcomed the news about the coming tri-lateral talks between Russia, China and Pakistan on the future of Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Planning, Development and Reforms Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that $35 billion has so far been energized for CPEC. A group of China’s military trade corporations participated in the 9th International Defense Exhibition and Seminar held in Karachi. Pakistan has approved the Russian request for using the Gwadar port for its exports. Britain Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson has appreciated the CPEC and desired that UK’s firms would participate in this project. ‘Region’s Future Linked to CPEC’: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his meeting with the Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has said that “[T]he future of the region’s population is linked to CPEC.”[1] He is on a state visit to Turkmenistan to discuss the matters of bilateral interest, including the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and reestablishing air links between the two countries. The TAPI project agreement was signed by the four countries in 2010 to build a gas pipeline to bring natural gas from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. The Prime Minster said that Pakistan will welcome any country interested in joining the multibillion-dollar CPEC.[2] Turkmen President Gurbanguly agreed with Premier Sharif’s views on CPEC’s importance and said this project would guarantee prosperity for the entire region. Trilateral Talks: Pakistan has hailed the coming together of Russia, China and Pakistan for talks next month in Moscow as “a watershed moment”.[3] Earlier this month, Russia had revealed that trilateral talks between Russia, China and Pakistan will be held to discuss Afghanistan. Zamir Kabulov, Director of the Second Asian...
Need To Capitalise On CPEC-Related Infrastructure, Investments
The role of infrastructure in promoting growth cannot be denied. It plays a critical role in competitiveness, economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. According to the World Bank, investment in high quality infrastructure can provide basic services to households, lead to productivity gains for the industry and open corridors for poor and landlocked countries to the global economy. More than 150 years ago where Britain was the leader in the financing of infrastructure, this position has been taken over by China. Data on China’s global investment and construction activity compiled by the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation is evidence of the enormity of the country as an overseas investor. China has global investments and construction contracts worth $1.3 trillion in the period from 2005-2016. These are primarily comprised of investments in the energy sector besides spanning in real estate, technology, banking and other sectors. China’s investment in Pakistan During 2005-2016, China has undertaken 44 construction contracts in Pakistan worth $35 billion and 11 investment projects worth $7 billion. China’s latest initiative in Pakistan called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project under the country’s larger initiative of ‘One Belt One Road’. The ‘One Belt One Road’ project aims to make central Asia more connected to the world. Chinese companies have built and funded roads, tunnels and bridges across the region. Chinese investment flowing into Pakistan has also been exhibited by latest data from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). Records on foreign investment show that there has been a significant 48.5% increase in foreign investment in the country during July-October FY17 as compared to the same period last year. This has primarily been attributed to portfolio investment by China. Most of this investment is coming in the power sector in thermal power related investments. In fact, CPEC involves a variety of...
Eyeless and Cashless In India
These are surreal times in India. With most of its citizens forced into queues, it is a country at a near standstill. There is despair and death as people scramble to access their money after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the most sweeping and arbitrary demonetisation since Independence, declares that the most commonly used notes have been withdrawn. That is, 86 per cent of the currency. As anger grows over people’s inability to meet even their food requirements, outraged opposition MPs seek answers from the prime minister who studiedly avoids parliament but insists the abrupt switchover is essential to fight black money and counterfeit currency used to fund terrorism. Using the overheated rhetoric of nationalism, he puts critics on the defensive portraying them as deshdrohis or enemies of the state. He makes several such public speeches where he dubs anyone questioning the so-called demonetisation as both anti-national and black money hoarders. Never mind that most opposition politicians are only calling for better management of what must rank as the most ill-prepared and ham-handed implementation of a major policy decision. The prime minister mocks everyone, even those harassed citizens standing in endless queues — overwhelmingly the poor who have no bank accounts — as people with ill-gotten riches. This is as bizarre as it can get. Unmindful of the distress caused to millions, the prime minister even jokes about the currency crisis during a surprise video appearance at a Coldplay concert in Mumbai. But these are times defined by the cult of the leader who is mesmerised by his own myth, the myth of an invincible and infallible strongman who knows what is best for the nation. It’s clear that Modi’s hold over his cabinet colleagues, his BJP party and even the once independent central bank, the RBI, is complete and unchallenged. So is it surprising that senior ministers are fumbling for answers as to how matters have gone so awry? For Modi it’s all about keeping...
Still Weighing Options
The Taliban are still dithering over whether they should resume talks with the Afghan government to promote national reconciliation. Consequently, Afghanistan continues to wallow, occasionally in blood and perpetually in chaos and instability. The new Taliban victories, incidentally on the rise, inversely affect the prospects for talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. In certain quarters, opinion prevails that Afghanistan has already suffered de facto disintegration. The only things common in all 34 Afghan provinces are the use of the Afghan passport and accumulation of power to seize more power and influence. It is thought that there is endemic corruption, failing central administration, collapsing government structures and the encroaching capacity of Taliban, facilitated by the actions of Daesh and other groups. Buoyed over its recent successes, the Taliban are consolidating their control over about 10-15 percent of Afghan territory, more than at any time under their occupation since 2001. Many provincial capitals are in danger. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has reported that the Afghan government has lost control of nearly five percent of its territory to the Taliban since the beginning of 2016 (a loss of 19 of approximately 400 governing districts). The Taliban feel bullish. The internal power strife between the National Unity Government leaders and its fallout in the provinces suggest that there will be no real combined force to deal with them. Afghanistan is not likely to witness any letup in fighting and bloodshed. This alarmingly gloomy scenario needs to be avoided by all stakeholders including countries indulging in proxy wars in Afghanistan. The main responsibility to initiate talks lies with the Afghan government, which needs to enforce its territorial sovereignty and protect Afghan nationals. Apart from normal reconstruction and rehabilitation work, it has to ensure the active support of the Taliban....
Breaking the Ice, Islamabad Reaches Out To Kabul
Pakistan and Afghanistan have resumed high-level contacts rekindling hopes for normalisation of their bilateral relationship. On Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani in Ashgabat on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Sustainable Transport and the outgoing army chief, General Raheel Sharif, spoke to Afghan Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah on the phone. The prime minister and the army chief contacted the Afghan leaders at a time when Islamabad has stepped up efforts to encourage the Taliban to join the peace process. The Express Tribune has learnt that there had been some diplomatic efforts this month when a three-member Taliban delegation was in Pakistan’s capital to explore peace prospects. “The Taliban’s Qatar office is now considering a strategy for possible political negotiations,” a member of the Taliban office in Qatar told The Express Tribune this week. Nawaz and Ghani discussed peace prospects and the former ‘appreciated’ Afghan government’s efforts for peace and stability in the strife-torn country. “[He] also expressed support to the peace deal between Afghan government and Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan,” the PM office said in a statement. The prime minister said a politically negotiated settlement through an Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process is the most viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan. “Pakistan will continue its serious efforts for facilitating the peace process, including through the Quadrilateral Cooperation Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US,” he told Ghani. The chief military spokesman, Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, confirmed that the army chief made a ‘farewell call’ to Abdullah. “Next talk with Dr Ashraf Ghani is planned,” Gen Bajwa, who heads the Inter-Services Public Relations, told The Express Tribune in a text message. Earlier the Afghan chief executive’s office tweeted: “Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif made a phone call to [Afghan] chief executive as...
Taliban Leaders May Have Moved to Afghanistan from Pakistan
After operating out of Pakistan for more than a decade, the leaders of Afghanistan's Taliban movement may have moved back to their homeland to try to build on this year's gains in the war and to establish a permanent presence. If confirmed, the move would be a sign of the Taliban's confidence in their fight against the U.S.-backed government in Kabul. It could also be an attempt by the militants to distance themselves from Pakistan, which is accused of supporting the movement. The Taliban's leaders have been based in Pakistani cities, including Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar, since their rule in Afghanistan was overthrown in the 2001 U.S. invasion after the 9/11 attacks. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the leadership shura, or council, relocated to Afghanistan "some months ago," although he would not say to where. One Taliban official said the shura had moved to southern Helmand province, which the insurgents consider to be part of their heartland and where most of the opium that funds their operations is produced. The official refused to be identified because of security reasons. Other Taliban sources said the justice, recruitment and religious councils had also moved to southern Afghanistan. The statements could not be independently confirmed. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's office said it had no confirmation that any such move had taken place. "No intelligence confirms that the Taliban has shifted its shura to Afghanistan," said Haroon Chakhansuri, Ghani's spokesman. "We still believe they are still operating in their safe havens outside Afghanistan." Mujahid, however, said Kabul officials were aware of the moves, prompted by battlefield gains that the insurgents believed would put them in a strong position once talks with the Afghan government aimed at ending the war were restarted. Dialogue broke down earlier this year. The insurgents have spread their footprint across Afghanistan since international combat troops scaled down in 2014. They have...
Public Education Must for Enlightened and Crime-Free Society, Concurrently with Police Reforms
While reforming police is critical for strengthening rule of law in KP, concurrently, educating public about their roles and responsibilities is also crucial to ensure a just, enlightened and crime-free society, Mr. Sahibzada Sajjad Ahmed, SP Security, Peshawar spoke during a consultative meeting of working group on police reforms in Peshawar. He added that the collective vision of the KP police leadership is driving all these reforms to turn KP police into an organization oriented for public service. The initiatives like Criminal Record Verification System (CRVS), Identity Verification System (IVS), and Vehicle Verification System (VVS) are some important developments to achieve the milestones for crime control and public facilitation. The School of Intelligence has significantly improved the intelligence gathering and spot analysis skills of KP police and has thus addressed the issues hampering counter-terrorism and crime-control roles of police. He also said that the citizens who have interacted with the police after reforms so far had found visible changes and were all-praise for the reformation. The most important community policing development in the KP police is the establishment of Dispute Resolution Councils (DRCs). DRC is a restorative justice system which has immensely reduced the burden of civil cases on police station and helped focusing on the investigation of important cases and on their core crime-control and CT roles. The meeting was a part of the project “Ulasi Police”, which is an awareness and advocacy campaign undertaken by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) – as part of USAID Small Grants and Ambassadors’ Fund Program – to strengthen the rule of law in KP province by promoting and disseminating the significant police reforms aimed at incorporating local communities’ policing needs and international human rights standards. The endeavor aims to tackle the trust deficit between the public and police, help KP police become an...
Islamic State Strengthening Presence in Afghanistan
The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS) is expanding its terrorist activities and getting stronger in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region as it loses fighters and territory in the Middle East, reports Voice of America (VOA), citing Afghan officials and analysts. “As [ISIS] has found itself increasingly on the defensive in the Middle East, it seems to be looking for new areas to carve out a presence,” Michael Kugelman, an analyst at the Wilson Center, a global policy research group, told VOA. “The Afghanistan-Pakistan region, where it already has a light footprint, appears to be one of the targets.” VOA’s report comes less than a month after American Gen. John Nicholson, the top commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, warned that the Afghanistan-Pakistan region’s ISIS branch, known as the Khorasan Province (IS-KP/ISIL-K), is seeking to establish its own Caliphate on Afghan soil. Eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan, has been identified as ISIL-K’s stronghold. In Nangarhar, VOA has learned that the Islamic State has been using mosques as military centers. “IS has turned at least 60 mosques in five districts of Nangarhar into military training centers,” Abdul Zahir Haqqani, director of religious affairs in Nangarhar, told VOA, noting that “the imams have fled to Jalalabad, Nangarhar’s capital city.” VOA adds that ISIL-K in Nangarhar has also “launched multiple attacks on Afghan police checkposts and villages in recent months, it has imposed taxes on agriculture activities in areas it controls, and it has been cutting down trees in some parts of the province in a timber-smuggling operation to neighboring Pakistan.” The Sunni jihadist group is reportedly operating in the Afghan provinces of Zabul, Ghazni, Kunar, and Nuristan, reported Khaama Press (KP) earlier this year. Except for Ghazni, the provinces lie on Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan. Ghazni is located near the Pakistan border, next to Zabul. ISIL-K “is getting stronger and, in...
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I am also a member of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting. Recently, we held a meeting with the Director General of Radio Pakistan and we told them to initiate such local programs (like Constituency Hour) in regional languages to educate and inform people. Even Indian Radio can be heard in FATA which is being used for propaganda purposes and must be closed. Therefore, we should launch some standard and quality programs like CRSS that will change the taste of the listeners.