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India Left with Limited Options
India’s policy of isolating Pakistan got a serious setback after the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Summit in Gao as before and after the meeting China clearly defended the later and refuse to buy Modi’s remarks of ‘mother-ship of terrorism’ against Islamabad. When asked about Indian PM Narrendra Modi’s comments, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying urged the international community to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation. However she said, “We also oppose the linking of terrorism to any specific country, ethnicity or religion.” This is China’s consistent position,” she told a daily news briefing inBeijing held after the BRICS Summit. Earlier, Modi had indicated that it would go ahead with its policy of isolating Pakistan and he had also invited Bangldesh, India, Myanmar, Srilanka Nepal, Thailand and Bhuttan — all members of The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Techinical and Economic Cooperation — to the BRICS Summit in the mid of October. Three days before the Summit in India’s Gao, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong told reporters in New Delhi that no country should pursue its own political gains in the name of counterterrorism. BRICS was not the first occasion where India policy for isolating Pakistan met failure. India lobbied in different countries especially in the US, which has been demanding of Islamabad for long to take action against Haqqani network and other banned outlets, to sanction Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. Contrary to the expectation of New Delhi, the US clearly ruled out any sanctions against Pakistan, which according to the US State Department engaged in a serious fight against terrorists. Last month New Delhi tried to disrupt the growing ties between Russian Federation and Pakistan, and urged Moscow to not carry out joint military exercise in Pakistan, but the Indian plea was rejected. Tension between India and Pakistan, the two South Asian rival armed with nuclear arsenal,...
Exclusive: Former Leader’s Bombshell Letter Exposes Internal Taliban Struggles
A key confidant of the Afghan Taliban’s founding leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, now wants the hard-line movement to undergo a complete overhaul of its strategy and tactics to secure a role in the country’s future. Syed Mohammad Tayyab Agha wants the Taliban’s current leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, to dramatically reduce violence, sever covert ties with key foreign backer Pakistan, adopt a new political approach, and redefine the Taliban’s ties with other jihadists. In the comprehensive letter, exclusively obtained by Radio Mashaal, reveals Agha has inadvertently provided great insight into the internal struggles of one of the world’s most secretive militant Islamist organizations. Agha, seen as a key Taliban ideologue, questions the Taliban’s current strategy, which mainly relies on overrunning rural territories and complex urban attacks that often result in a high number of civilian casualties. “How can the Taliban leadership, now camped in Pakistan, demand that people in Afghanistan or elsewhere pledge allegiance to them?” he wrote, confirming that the insurgent movement’s leaders still operate from safe havens in Pakistan. “Can we consider such acts in accordance with Islam?” Agha relinquished his position as head of the Taliban’s political office in Qatar last year and has sharply questioned key Taliban ideological tenets. In the letter, he urges Akhundzada to give up the title of Amir al-Muminin, or Leader Of The Faithful, and to drop the Taliban’s formal name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. “It will be better to employ the term ‘movement’ instead of ‘emirate’,” he wrote, arguing that without either control over most of the country including the Afghan capital, Kabul, or recognition as a legitimate government it is impossible for the Taliban to pose as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. “A reliance on media propaganda and forming [shadow] government institutions, control of rural territories, and most of the movement’s leadership being in a...
Key to Peace Lies in Talks: Sartaj Aziz
The National Advisor on Foreign Affairs (NAFA) Sartaj Aziz on Friday said that Pakistan had no favorites in Afghanistan and will follow the priorities that elected government in Kabul determines for pursuing peace and reconciliation. Welcoming the deal between the National Unity Government (NUG) and the Hezb-e-Islami, Aziz, said this agreement seems to have motivated and encouraged other groups to come to talks. These groups should realize that it is a different Afghanistan that wants peace and where the dominant majority would like to go back to the past. He was speaking with the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) for Beyond Boundaries Phase II, a Track I.5/II dialogue series undertaken by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in partnership with Afghan counterpart Women Peace and Security Organization (WPSO) to foster better understanding and cooperation between civil society members of the two neighbors. He also said that Pakistan’s message to all the combatants is loud and clear; nobody can capture Afghanistan on its own, and the key to peace lies in talks. We desire that both the NUG and the Taliban sort our issues among themselves and we will stand by them for any support we can lend to the process. He also welcomed unanimity of approach on the peace process within Kabul and hoped it would encourage all parties to join the process. He added that Pakistan is doing whatever it can to persuade all Taliban factions to become part of the peace process and indications are that many of them are now interested in joining the process. He promised to the PAJC’s concerns regarding the plight of Afghans in Pakistan. The PAJC also met with retired army general and Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Abdul Qadir Baloch. Baloch said that Pakistan remains committed to safeguarding lives and assets of Afghans living in Pakistan. They are our ambassadors and we cannot afford to send them back with bitter feelings. He added...
CHINA WATCH [OCTOBER 19-21] FROM CPEC TO EAST INDIA COMPANY:
CPEC was in the news for contentious reason. Upper House of Parliament compared it with East India Company. Chinese envoy in Islamabad highlighted the possibility of Iran’s inclusion in CPEC as a positive development. The envoy held a meeting with Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) and was assured that the protest call in Islamabad is not against the CPEC. Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) said it will provide satellite monitoring of CPEC. The civilian security agency, Intelligence Bureau (IB), raised alarm about foreign conspiracies against CPEC. KP once again raised the issue of neglect of development of Western route. And finally, China announced to provide Pakistan with eight stealth submarines. ‘East India Company’: Pakistani lawmakers from the upper house of Parliament have shown renewed concerns about the fallouts of CPEC. Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee, Senator Tahir Mashhadi, made a rather blunt statement saying that “[A]nother 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.”[1] It should be remembered that East India Company was precursor to the British colonization of Subcontinent. Upon the information that major chunk of CPEC finances will be borne by local sources, Mashhadi warned that the consequences will be severe as “poor people of Pakistan” will have to pay for these costs at the end of the day.[2] Another Senator was critical of whopping power tariffs demanded by the Chinese investors. Compared to 71 paisa per unit set by NEPRA, the Chinese had demanded 95 paisa per unit.[3] Similarly, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief, Sirajul Haq, lamented that there is “nothing for” FATA and AJK in CPEC.[4] It’s one of the main domestic concerns regarding CPEC that might be raised time and time again in the future. Iran: China’s envoy to Pakistan has said that the prospect of...
CPEC’s Work-In-Progress: Gwadar
It is one thing to hear that Chinese nationals in Gwadar and site for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) get heightened, foolproof security and it is quite another to experience that security firsthand. And that is indeed what I can report as the Center for Research and Security Studies recntly arranged a tour of Gwadar for its Chinese counterparts from the Chinese Association for Friendship. Right off the bat, getting the security clearance was a comprehensive process. The smallest discrepancies or concerns were flagged and investigated until they reached a logical conclusion. Once the permits were squared away, and the identities of all Pakistani nationals had been confirmed against their National Identity Card numbers, we were cleared to visit. This is not to say that one cannot visit Gwadar as a Pakistan national; our clearance was required to be able to visit sensitive, CPEC-related areas. Once in the city, we were provided a military convoy that was responsible for all of our movement within Gwadar and stood guard every second the contingent spent in the city. Its presence was palpable, pervasive and persistent. When we spoke to our Chinese counterparts, not only did they express their gratitude, but commented on how impressed they were by the level of concern Pakistan had for their safety and well-being. Two features are prominent in the port city of Gwadar, a city that is often touted as having the potential to change the destiny of Pakistan, and rightly so. First, there is a sharp contrast between what is promised and what currently exists. You can see signs of construction everywhere, and granted the Chinese vision for CPEC is long-term, well-thought out and meticulously executed. Fresh roads are being paved, the port authority is spotless and fastidiously maintained, the mountain ranges are being carved into to make way or gather construction materials. But by and large, Gwadar is a small town filled with poor fishermen. Second, the...
Normalisation of Ties: Islamabad, Kabul Urged To Heal Rift
Delegates at an unofficial dialogue on Pakistan-Afghanistan affairs called for normalisation of relationship between the two countries, saying that tensions had negatively affected bilateral ties. The appeal was made a few days after Afghanistan joined India to boycott the SAARC Summit that Pakistan was scheduled to host in Islamabad in November. “Peace and stability is the priority of both nations. Disengagement, therefore, between the two governments is not desirable. High-level exchanges must be resumed to promote dialogue at all levels to create a conducive environment for removing mistrust,” a declaration issued on Thursday at the conclusion of the two-day-long dialogue in Lahore stated. The first meeting of the second phase of ‘Beyond Boundaries’, a Track I.5/II dialogue series, was undertaken by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in partnership with its Afghan counterpart, Women Peace and Security Organization (WPSO). The series brings together from both countries prominent journalists, civil society activists, former diplomats, parliamentarians, academicians, former members of law enforcement and scholars as part of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Committee (PAJC) for Beyond Boundaries phase II. The Pakistani side comprised MNA Shazia Marri, former chief of Balochistan Police Dr Shoaib Suddle, Maj-Gen (retd) Ejaz Awan, Ambassador Mian Sanaullah and analyst Imtiaz Gul. The Afghan delegation included Sayed Ishaq Gailani, Mozammil Shinwari, Wazhma Frogh, Palwasha Hassan, Ketabullah Khpolwak Sapai and Elay Ershad. The workshop was chaired by Dr Rasul Baksh Rais. The declaration also called for reviving the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US and that it should continue to encourage the Taliban to negotiate, adhering to well-defined goals indicating progress. “Terrorism is a common concern, which continues to affect families on both sides (of the border). Effective regulatory framework is needed to...
Eight Lessons from Afghanistan
On the security front, recent assessments of Afghanistan exude doom and gloom. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph F. Dunford called the situation “roughly a stalemate,” telling senators that nearly a third of the country is under the control of the Taliban and other militants. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reported that the failure to effectively address corruption has “undermined the U.S. mission in Afghanistan by fueling grievances against the Afghan government and channeling material support to the insurgency.” Both the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned that, after 15 years and $783 billion in spending, public support for the war is eroding because there is little evidence of success. In fact, 2015 was Afghanistan’s deadliest year on record. Meanwhile in development quarters, a more optimistic spirit holds sway. Earlier this month international donors pledged over $15 billion in economic aid to Afghanistan for the next four years, close to the same level they agreed to provide during the last four years. The Afghan governmenttrumpeted progress on infrastructure development, private sector engagement, and good governance. USAID boasted that U.S. government support over the last decade has helped Afghanistan to achieve the largest increases in life expectancy and largest decreases in maternal and child mortality of any country in the world. According to the Afghan Ministry of Education, more than eight times as many children are in school now as in 2001, and 39 percent of them are girls. The State Department said it considers the Afghan government “an engaged and constructive partner” that is “committed to moving the country forward, strengthening its democracy, and deepening its institutional roots.” Although President Obama slowed the drawdown in U.S. troops from Afghanistan, vowing to keep 8,400 troops there until the end of his term, the next president...
Norway Increases Humanitarian Support To Afghanistan
‘Several hundred thousand Afghans who have been refugees in Pakistan are now returning home. This has created a vast need for humanitarian aid. Norway is therefore increasing its humanitarian support to Afghanistan by NOK 64 million,’ Foreign Minister Børge Brende said. It is estimated that 9 million people in Afghanistan – 1.3 million of them internally displaced – are in need of emergency aid. The situation is especially critical for several hundred thousand Afghan refugees who have returned from Pakistan to south-eastern Afghanistan since this summer. ‘The refugee situation is a strain on the authorities of Afghanistan and on international aid agencies. Norway is now responding to appeals by the UN and the International Organization for Migration. We are cooperating with partners that can effectively provide urgently needed emergency relief, including shelter, medicines, food and water, and sanitary facilities,’ said Mr Brende. Norway is channelling its humanitarian support through the Norwegian Refugee Council, the UN and IOM, which have long-standing experience in assisting internally displaced people and returning refugees. Many of those in need of help have been in Pakistan for decades and are facing a number of challenges – such as reclaiming their homes and land. Many also need legal aid to make a new start in Afghanistan. ‘Several thousand refugees are returning from Pakistan every day. Norway supports the efforts to provide humanitarian protection and assistance to people who are in a vulnerable situation,’ Mr Brende said. Norway has provided a total of NOK 240 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan in 2016. This article originally appeared on www.regjeringen.no, 18, October, 2016. Original link. Disclaimer: Views expressed in the article are not necessarily supported by CRSS.
Afghan repatriation creating acrimony; SAARC exit a bad move: Afghan delegates at LUMS/FC
The harsh attitude towards Afghan refugees has created a lot of problems and acrimony in Afghanistan. We hope the Pakistanis don’t want to destroy the 35 years of hospitality, and the goodwill it generated, by pursuing policies that have created more problems than solving them. These words were said by Abdul Hakim Mujahid, Member of Executive Board of the High Peace Council in Afghanistan. He was speaking at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) at a lecture/Q&A session conducted under the second phase of Beyond Boundaries (BB). BB is a Track I.5/II dialogue series undertaken by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in partnership with Afghan counterpart Women Peace and Security Organization (WPSO) to foster better understanding and cooperation between civil society members of the two neighbors. A second, simultaneous session was conducted at Forman Christian College’s (FCC) Center of Public Policy and Governance (CPPG), featuring leading female parliamentarian Shazia Marri, and former Afghan presidential candidate Sayed Ishaq Gailani. The LUMS session also featured Wazhma Frogh, senior advisor to the Afghan Defense Minister, Ambassador Mian Sanaullah, and Dr. Rasul Baksh Rais. Frogh said that the Afghan delegation was there to initiate and promote a rational discourse on the two countries. She informed the students that in the post 9/11 Afghanistan, as many as 9 million children are going to schools, and that nearly 27 percent members of the parliament are women. It is a huge step forward for a male-dominated country. Amb. Sanaullah also echoed Hakimullah’s words in that any altercation only affects people and traders of both countries. He said that the benefit of this acrimony was only to a small pool of vested interests. At FC, Gailani, while fielding a question from Marri, said that Afghanistan exited the SAARC conference because the government follows the Indian directives. He said this move was ill-advised, against the...
US Should Leave Afghanistan — Now
Last week marked the fifteenth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history. There weren’t any victory parades or photo-ops with Afghanistan’s post-liberation leaders. That is because the war is ongoing. In fact, 15 years after launching a war against Afghanistan’s Taliban government in retaliation for an attack by Saudi-backed al-Qaida, the U.S.-backed forces are steadily losing territory back to the Taliban. What President Obama called “the good war” before took office in 2008, has become the “forgotten war” some eight years later. How many Americans know that we still have nearly 10,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan? Do any Americans know that the Taliban was never defeated, but now holds more ground in Afghanistan than at any point since 2001? Do they know the Taliban overran the provincial capital of Kunduz last week for a second time in a year and they threaten several other provincial capitals? Do Americans know that we are still wasting billions on “reconstruction” and other projects in Afghanistan that are, at best, boondoggles? According to a recent audit by the independent U.S. government body overseeing Afghan reconstruction, half a billion dollars was wasted on a contract for a U.S. company to maintain Afghan military vehicles. The contractor “fail[ed] to meet program objectives,” the audit found. Of course they still got paid, like thousands of others getting rich off of this failed war. Do Americans know that their government has spent at least $60 billion to train and equip Afghan security forces, yet these forces are still not capable of fighting on their own against the Taliban? We recently learned that an unknown but not insignificant number of those troops brought to the U.S. for training have deserted and are living illegally somewhere in the U.S. In the recent Taliban attack on Kunduz, it was reported that thousands of Afghan security personnel fled without firing a shot. According to a recent study by...
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TESTIMONIALS
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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.