Current Projects

Progress and Regress: Obama’s Mixed Afghanistan Legacy

Recent increase in attacks by the Taliban and ISIL have compromised advances in rights, Afghans say. It's America's Longest War and one that President Barack Obama promised to end in 2014. But two years later, the security situation in Afghanistan is in a downward spiral, with the Taliban and Islamic State fighters (ISIL) making gains in several provinces. Although Obama slowed his original timeline of troop withdrawals, his scaling back of troops, coupled with the rise in drone strikes - up to two a day over the summer, according to watchdog Bureau of Investigative Journalism - have increased the insecurity here, which puts the fragile gains made in Afghanistan in danger. In the past two months alone, according to a deputy spokesman from President Ashraf Ghani's office, the Taliban has destroyed 302 schools, 5,305 homes and 1,818 businesses in 12 provinces. Khalil Rufi, director of CSJWG, the country's civil society joint working group, said that under Obama's direction the US managed to kill Osama Bin Laden as well as aiding in a peaceful transition of power in Afghanistan after the 2014 presidential election, which were "good achievements". But he said that the economic and political progress that the country made before 2008 have eroded. "Our people hoped that under Obama, change would be positive and visible. Unfortunately the change has been negative - like the increase of extremism, the Taliban becoming more powerful day by day, Daesh, which right now is also becoming strong, our government mismanagement and in our provinces collapsing," said Rufi, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS) . "This is the bad shadow of Barack Obama's government." Civilian casualties The country's deteriorating situation is apparent in the streets of the capital, with increased security forces making sure the streets in central Kabul are closed to traffic after 8pm with a heightened concern for suicide bombers. It's also...

CHINA WATCH [OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 4] ACTIVATING CHINA-PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR

The first formal trade activity between China and Pakistan on CPEC was prominent in the news this week. A report by China’s State Information Center (SIC) categorized Pakistan among the top five countries ‘highly’ cooperating with China on the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative. The Express Tribune reported that China is keen to finance and develop Pakistan’s portion of Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline. As always, politicians from Sindh, KP and Balochistan raised the issue of their respective provincial share in CPEC. Beginning Trade on CPEC: Trade on CPEC was formally operationalized on Monday as hundreds of Chinese trucks were unloaded at Sost dry port in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The first consignment of 150 to 300 trucks from China was received by GB Chief Minister Hafeezur Rehman and the commander of the Force Command Northern Areas Major General Saqib Mehmood.[1] The containers will be moved to Gwadar port with Pakistani trucks after obtaining customs clearance. Police personnel escorted the consignment as per the security plan under CPEC. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, GB Chief Minister said that “[T]his activity will bring prosperity and end unemployment in the region.” Belt and Road Initiative Report: A data report titled “Belt and Road in Big Data 2016” about China’s “belt and road initiative” was released by China’s State Information Centre (SIC) in Beijing. This is an annual report which presents a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the initiative and authoritative evaluation of the cooperation between China and the 64 countries involved and the engagement of its 31 provinces.[2] The report categorized Pakistan, Russia, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Indonesia as “highly” cooperative countries in advancing China’s connectivity plans via road, rail, air and sea links under the belt and road initiative.[3] There are two volumes of this report. The first one is about ‘Belt and Road Initiative” and the second one evaluates important issues...

Over 5.6 Million Children to be Vaccinated Against Polio Across Afghanistan

The Ministry of Public Health along with its partners UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) will tomorrow launch a polio vaccination campaign in all provinces of the Southern, Eastern and South-eastern regions as well as selected high-risk districts across the country, including Kabul city. The campaign aims to reach over 5.6 million children and will run until 11 November. Polio is a crippling disease that is incurable and can only be prevented through vaccination. Every child under the age of 5 in Afghanistan should be vaccinated during each vaccination round. “Wherever children are not immunized, children’s lives are at risk everywhere in Afghanistan. We urge all caregivers to vaccinate their children against polio because the polio vaccine is the only way to protect children from permanent paralysis and even death,” said H.E. Minister of Public Health Dr. Ferozuddin Feroz. “Afghanistan is closer than ever to stopping the circulation of the wild poliovirus and our focus remains on reaching and immunizing every single child.” The polio vaccine is safe and the only effective prevention for polio disease. Polio vaccines are halal and have been specifically endorsed by leaders of the Islamic community, most recently in a conference attended by over 80 Ulama in Nangarhar last week. The vaccine is completely safe for newborn, sleeping and sick children and it has no side effects. The campaign is carried out by around 25,000 trained vaccinators and it runs for four days with an additional day on Friday for vaccinators to revisit children who were missed when the vaccinators first visited. These vaccinators and other frontline health workers are trusted members of the community and they have been chosen because they care about children. Parents who miss having their children vaccinated over the next four days are urged to visit local health centres where their children can be vaccinated against polio. So far 10 wild poliovirus cases have been reported...

Pakistan's Place in U.S. Foreign Policy

The military has held a prominent political role in Pakistan since the country's independence in 1947. As the smaller of the two sovereign states that emerged from British India's partition, Pakistan inherited only 18 percent of the former territory's revenue. It laid claim, however, to 33 percent of the British Indian military, giving its armed forces — which were already well-organized — a distinct advantage over Pakistan's nascent civilian administration. Military leaders exploited their position to great effect, aided in part by their civilian counterparts and in part by the structure of the Pakistani government itself. The country's founder and first governor-general, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, favored the viceregal system of the British Raj, which concentrated power in institutions filled by unelected leaders. Though Jinnah initially preferred a more democratic arrangement, the Indian threat looming on Pakistan's eastern border persuaded him to forgo popular rule in favor of a more centralized state that could better protect the country's national security interests. Unsurprisingly, the military did everything it could to encourage its civilian partners' focus on national security, at times to the detriment of political and economic progress. Of course, the military had help in solidifying its pre-eminence during the Pakistani state's formative years. The United States, in pursuit of its own foreign policy objectives in South Asia, was eager to partner with Pakistan on matters of regional security. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration formed an alliance with Pakistan as it sought to block the spread of communism throughout Asia. When the United States entered a proxy war in Afghanistan with the Soviets two decades later, Pakistan again became an important partner. Washington quieted its criticisms of Pakistani human rights abuses and channeled more than $3 billion to Islamabad over the following decade. In exchange, the mujahideen backed by...

Pakistan’s Place in U.S. Foreign Policy

The military has held a prominent political role in Pakistan since the country's independence in 1947. As the smaller of the two sovereign states that emerged from British India's partition, Pakistan inherited only 18 percent of the former territory's revenue. It laid claim, however, to 33 percent of the British Indian military, giving its armed forces — which were already well-organized — a distinct advantage over Pakistan's nascent civilian administration. Military leaders exploited their position to great effect, aided in part by their civilian counterparts and in part by the structure of the Pakistani government itself. The country's founder and first governor-general, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, favored the viceregal system of the British Raj, which concentrated power in institutions filled by unelected leaders. Though Jinnah initially preferred a more democratic arrangement, the Indian threat looming on Pakistan's eastern border persuaded him to forgo popular rule in favor of a more centralized state that could better protect the country's national security interests. Unsurprisingly, the military did everything it could to encourage its civilian partners' focus on national security, at times to the detriment of political and economic progress. Of course, the military had help in solidifying its pre-eminence during the Pakistani state's formative years. The United States, in pursuit of its own foreign policy objectives in South Asia, was eager to partner with Pakistan on matters of regional security. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration formed an alliance with Pakistan as it sought to block the spread of communism throughout Asia. When the United States entered a proxy war in Afghanistan with the Soviets two decades later, Pakistan again became an important partner. Washington quieted its criticisms of Pakistani human rights abuses and channeled more than $3 billion to Islamabad over the following decade. In exchange, the mujahideen backed by...

India – Pakistan CBMs since 1947 A Critical Analysis

India and Pakistan have been locked into adversarial relations since 1947. The major conflict between the two countries is the territorial status of Kashmir including several sidelining issues that further deteriorated the bilateral relations. The two countries have been part of several pacts, peace initiatives to manage and resolve their conflict, however, none of the peace efforts could bring them nearer to final settlement. Regional and international developments also impacted relations between India and Pakistan and both were part of various international alliances in cold war era. In post cold war times, the two countries acquired nuclear weapons in May 1998 and since then Kashmir was declared as nuclear flash point. It is therefore needed to encourage India and Pakistan to seek common grounds for better peace prospects in the region. The paper caters a historical survey as well as analysis on India – Pakistan confidence building measures (CBMs) and also suggests future prospects for peaceful co-existence. It also outlines why few agreements could not save the two countries for preceding acrimony and did not serve the purpose ofresolving Kashmir conflict once for all. Introduction South Asia has a history of interstate and intrastate conflicts, troubled neighbourhood, internecine struggle and movements within the countries, peace deals, confrontational and cooperative environment and, in very recent past, the end of 30 years of guerilla war in Sri Lanka. At inter-state level, the region bears historic animosity between India and Pakistan. The central issue of their bilateral conflicts is Kashmir over which they fought three major wars (1948, 1965, and 1971) and several low intensity military confrontations (most importantly Siachen 1987 and Kargil in 1999) since 1947. Their overt nuclearization in 1998 had declared Kashmir as a nuclear flash point, which is termed by international community as a threat to regional and world peace. Several measures were taken...

CPEC Becoming Like East India Co. Is 'Baseless, Unfair' Fear, Says Pakistan Government

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor's (CPEC) western part is expected to be completed by 2018 and fears of some Pakistani lawmakers, that the project could become like another rapacious East India Company, are "baseless and unfair," said a Pakistan planning ministry spokesman, reported The Nation. The spokesman made these remarks Friday and said that the points raised by members in a meeting of a Senate Committee on CPEC are inappropriate based on lack of information. Last month, members of the CPEC committee said they are worried that local financing is being used for CPEC-related projects, instead of monies from the Chinese or from other foreign investments. "It will be very harmful for us if we have to bear the entire burden; will this [project] be a national development or a national calamity? Whatever loans taken from China will have to be paid by the poor people of Pakistan," senator Saeedul Hassan Mandokhail reportedly said, at a committee meeting. Mandokhail compared the project to The East India Co., which was, of course, Britain's trading mission to India and the precursor to British imperial rule over the subcontinent. "Another East India Company is in the offing; national interests are not being protected. We are proud of the friendship between Pakistan and China, but the interests of the state should come first," said senator Tahir Mashhadi, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development. On Friday, the planning ministry spokesman however said that CPEC involves multi-sectoral cooperation between Pakistan and "our all weather friend China" and that all decisions regarding CPEC projects and its execution are made "keeping in view the interests and well-being of the people of Pakistan." The spokesman also said that the 650 km long Gwadar-Quetta section of the western route has already been completed which is as per the given time line. "This shows the work pace is not only smooth rather we are moving on fast track and ahead of...

CPEC Becoming Like East India Co. Is ‘Baseless, Unfair’ Fear, Says Pakistan Government

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor's (CPEC) western part is expected to be completed by 2018 and fears of some Pakistani lawmakers, that the project could become like another rapacious East India Company, are "baseless and unfair," said a Pakistan planning ministry spokesman, reported The Nation. The spokesman made these remarks Friday and said that the points raised by members in a meeting of a Senate Committee on CPEC are inappropriate based on lack of information. Last month, members of the CPEC committee said they are worried that local financing is being used for CPEC-related projects, instead of monies from the Chinese or from other foreign investments. "It will be very harmful for us if we have to bear the entire burden; will this [project] be a national development or a national calamity? Whatever loans taken from China will have to be paid by the poor people of Pakistan," senator Saeedul Hassan Mandokhail reportedly said, at a committee meeting. Mandokhail compared the project to The East India Co., which was, of course, Britain's trading mission to India and the precursor to British imperial rule over the subcontinent. "Another East India Company is in the offing; national interests are not being protected. We are proud of the friendship between Pakistan and China, but the interests of the state should come first," said senator Tahir Mashhadi, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development. On Friday, the planning ministry spokesman however said that CPEC involves multi-sectoral cooperation between Pakistan and "our all weather friend China" and that all decisions regarding CPEC projects and its execution are made "keeping in view the interests and well-being of the people of Pakistan." The spokesman also said that the 650 km long Gwadar-Quetta section of the western route has already been completed which is as per the given time line. "This shows the work pace is not only smooth rather we are moving on fast track and ahead of...

Chinese Group Eyes $3b Deals in Pakistan Roads, Energy Sector

A consortium of Chinese companies is planning to bring a $3 billion investment fund to Pakistan, representatives of these companies told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during their meeting here on Friday. Highlighting the huge potential for Chinese investment, the prime minister said that Chinese firms could invest in Pakistan’s infrastructure development, energy and communication sectors. Appreciating the prime minister’s vision of economic revival, members of the Chinese delegation said they were planning to invest in infrastructure development and energy sectors. They also expressed their intent to explore the possibility of launching a new airline after securing requisite government permissions. Currently, the Chinese consortium “is actively pursuing investments in infrastructure, power, aviation and tourism sectors in Pakistan”. Pakistan, he said, was now among this year’s global top 10 improvers in Doing Business in 2017. He said that Pakistan’s investment policy was designed to provide a comprehensive framework for creating a conducive business environment for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). The law of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) was made to meet global challenges of competitiveness and help attract FDI. Expressing satisfaction, the prime minister said that Standard & Poor’s (S&P) had also upgraded Pakistan’s ranking from B- to B. He said that Pakistan’s foreign reserves had now increased to over $24 billion. “We fully appreciate the vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif which enunciates that economic prosperity is an offshoot of infrastructure connectivity and self-sufficiency in the energy sector,” members of the delegation stated. The Chinese delegates said that the government had done immense work in infrastructure development and attaining energy self-sufficiency. The government has a liberal investment regime that offers an ideal and investor-friendly environment for which the leadership role of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is highly...

Chinese Consortium to Launch New Airline in Pakistan

Praising the country’s economy as capable of absorbing and capitalising the direct foreign investment, the Chinese investors have expressed their interest in launching a new airline in Pakistan for which they would be discussing modalities with the Government of Pakistan. The representatives of a consortium of Chinese investment companies comprising China Huarong International Holdings Limited, China Innovative Finance Group Limited, Hong Kong Tian Group, Chandong Hi-Speed Group and China Road & Bridge Group yesterday met Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif at the PM House. Warmly welcoming the delegation, the Prime Minister appreciated the Chinese delegation’s fruitful interaction with Ministries of Finance, Petroleum & Natural Resources, Water & Power and Capital Development Authority. The Prime Minister expressed hope that members of the Chinese delegation will have a productive visit in the backdrop of briefing by various ministries about immense potential for investment in Pakistan’s infrastructure development, energy and communication sectors. Appreciating the prudent and practical measures taken by the government for the revival of the national economy, the members of the delegation said that Pakistan is fully ready as well as capable of absorbing and capitalising the Foreign Direct Investment. The delegation apprised the Prime Minister that they are bringing $3 billion Investment Fund to Pakistan because of the vision of the Prime Minister that focus on infrastructure development and energy sectors. The Chinese delegation also expressed its intent to explore possibility of starting a new airline in Pakistan after the permission from the Government of Pakistan. The Chinese side said that it is actively pursuing its investments in infrastructure, power, aviation and tourism sectors of Pakistan. “We fully appreciate the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif which enunciates that economic prosperity is an offshoot of infrastructure...