Current Projects
The NAP, Idps and Refugees
The National Action Plan (NAP) promises administrative and development reforms in Fata, with immediate focus on repatriation of IDPs and formulation of a comprehensive policy to deal with the issue of Afghan refugees, beginning with their registration. Both issues found place in the NAP because the authorities viewed these as part of Pakistan’s security crisis, which had led to the support for terrorist networks. Regardless of the veracity of such apprehensions, the displaced populations — local and foreign — do represent operational and management hazards. They can easily serve as conduits for all those non-state actors that are involved in cross-border terrorism. That is why the double ‘R’ i.e., resettlement of the IDPs and repatriation of Afghan refugees, continue to remain an essential part of the conversation on national security, though without a long-term vision. By mid-December 2015, nearly 40 per cent of families displaced due to Operation Zarb-e-Azb had returned to their homes. The repatriation process, supervised by the Fata Disaster Management Authority, the armed forces and government, kicked off in March 2015 — shortly after about 350 areas in Orakzai Agency, South Waziristan, Khyber Agency, Kurram Agency and North Waziristan were de-notified as ‘cleared’ for the return of displaced people. Return of IDPs or TDPs, however, appears to be a formidable challenge; background interaction with officials of various departments looking after the TDPs reveals that the displaced people will not be able to return to their native homes in 2016 due to limited capacity of the civilian administration and the slow pace of damage assessment, acceptance of claims, documentation and release of funds. There are inadequate financial resources for the repair of the damaged infrastructure. Lack of political will to carry out reforms in Fata is another obstacle to a voluntary return to and revival of normal life. Most people want to get rid of the draconian Frontier Crimes...
PM Inaugurates CPEC’s Western Route in Zhob
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said development projects in Balochistan is the top most agenda of the government of Pakistan. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the western route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Zhob, the premier announced the construction of an international-level airport in Gwadar along side the development of a deep sea port. Addressing a gathering after the inauguration, the premier said, “With the establishment of an airport and a sea port, Balochistan will not only connect with the rest of Pakistan but will also connect with the whole world.” “We believe that Balochistan has the first right over all resources which have been explored in the province.” All developmental projects will be completed by December 2017, PM Nawaz announced, while adding that “the era of prosperity in Pakistan will begin with the completion of these projects in Balochistan.” Further, the premier congratulated Rahila Durrani for being elected as the first-ever female speaker of the Balochistan Assembly. ”It is not only an honour for Balochistan but also for Pakistan that a female assembly speaker has been elected in the province.” Appreciating all political parties for their consensus on CPEC-related projects, PM Nawaz informed those in attendance that a total of Rs200 billion is being spent on the construction of roads in Balochistan, while adding that the Gwadar to Karachi coastal highway will be converted into a motorway. “The 454km road between Hoshab, Panjgur and Suhrab will be completed by December 2016,” the premier announced. Published in http://tribune.com.pk/story/1018615/pm-inaugurates-cpecs-western-route-in-zhob/
China’s New Anti-Terrorism Law
China has its first anti-terrorism law on the books, after the National People’s Congress Standing Committee approved the new legislation on Sunday. The law, which will take effect in January, provides a legal framework for the country’s war on terrorism, a focus of increasing concern for Beijing after attacks at home and abroad jeopardized the lives of its citizens. Abroad, most of the debate about the law focused on its technological provisions. A draft version sparked vocal pushback from the United States, with government officials and businesses alike worried about provisions that could require foreign tech firms to handover proprietary data to Beijing. China defended the law as necessary and in line with international precedents. Notably, the final version of the legislation did not contain some of the most controversial provisions, including requirements for companies to store user data on serves within China and to allow the Chinese government to review their encryption systems. Instead, companies are required to provide “technical means of support” for anti-terror investigations, including decrypting data. They are also told to prevent the spread of materials supporting terrorism or extremism. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang was asked about the changes from the draft to the legislation in a press conference on Monday. He said that the anti-terror law as passed “is the answer to the latest situation and our objective needs” and stressed that it is no different from “relevant legislation [passed] by western countries.” Li Shouwei, from the NPC Standing Committee’s legislative affairs commission, told the press that the new law “will not affect companies’ normal business nor install backdoors to infringe intellectual property rights.” But while the provisions dealing with tech firms have attracted the most attention – thanks to media coverage overseas – other aspects have the potential to be much farther reaching, both for China’s war on terror and its...
China's New Anti-Terrorism Law
China has its first anti-terrorism law on the books, after the National People’s Congress Standing Committee approved the new legislation on Sunday. The law, which will take effect in January, provides a legal framework for the country’s war on terrorism, a focus of increasing concern for Beijing after attacks at home and abroad jeopardized the lives of its citizens. Abroad, most of the debate about the law focused on its technological provisions. A draft version sparked vocal pushback from the United States, with government officials and businesses alike worried about provisions that could require foreign tech firms to handover proprietary data to Beijing. China defended the law as necessary and in line with international precedents. Notably, the final version of the legislation did not contain some of the most controversial provisions, including requirements for companies to store user data on serves within China and to allow the Chinese government to review their encryption systems. Instead, companies are required to provide “technical means of support” for anti-terror investigations, including decrypting data. They are also told to prevent the spread of materials supporting terrorism or extremism. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang was asked about the changes from the draft to the legislation in a press conference on Monday. He said that the anti-terror law as passed “is the answer to the latest situation and our objective needs” and stressed that it is no different from “relevant legislation [passed] by western countries.” Li Shouwei, from the NPC Standing Committee’s legislative affairs commission, told the press that the new law “will not affect companies’ normal business nor install backdoors to infringe intellectual property rights.” But while the provisions dealing with tech firms have attracted the most attention – thanks to media coverage overseas – other aspects have the potential to be much farther reaching, both for China’s war on terror and its...
Pakistan Trip: Advantage Modi?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore was viewed by some in Pakistan as a public relations move with the advantage going to him. Was it against the recent run of play in bilateral relations between the two countries; and where if anywhere will it lead to? These questions deserve more attention. Since the BJP government took over the reins of the government in India, relations have been troubled despite initial expectations when Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif controversially accepted the invitation to attend the new PM’s inauguration last year. Even before he left Delhi the Indian spokesperson labelled the congenial meeting between the two leaders a lecture for Pakistan to control terrorism. That set the tone. Firing incidents flared across the Line of Control in disputed Kashmir accompanied by belligerent statements from the Indian side. When meetings to revive the dialogue process were fixed, umbrage was taken that the visiting Pakistani officials wanted as before to meet Kashmiri leaders. India’s emphasis that the talks would centre only around terrorism was not acceptable to the Pakistani side that was determined to bring up Kashmir and all other disputes. Pakistani officials assessed that despite Sharif’s determination to build better relations with India riding high on its economy, its strategic and conventional military strength bolstered by the US, its western allies, and Russia gave no such reciprocal priority to a neighbour it considered beset by terrorism and temptingly vulnerable to external destabilisation. Indian officials alleged that while the government wanted better relations the Pakistan military was opposed to it. An inauspicious situation which appeared to be gridlocked. Then, on the margins of the Climate Conference in Paris on November 30 this year the two prime ministers appeared to meet by chance and sat down for an “impromptu” chat. One can assume that this was not unplanned ; and that the two leaders had a...
China Says In Advanced Talks With US On Five Graft Suspects
BEIJING: The Chinese government is in advanced talks with the United States (US) on repatriating five of China's most wanted corruption suspects and will hand over whatever evidence is needed by its US counterparts, the state-run China Daily said on Wednesday. In April, China published a list of 100 of its most wanted corruption suspects who have been targeted with an Interpol red notice, many living in the US, Canada and Australia. About 18 have been recovered so far this year. China's efforts have long been hampered by Western nations that balk at signing extradition deals, partly out of concern about its judicial system. Rights groups say Chinese authorities use torture and the death penalty is common in corruption cases. This month, a United Nations (UN) rights watchdog said torture remained rife in China. China is currently seeking US judicial help in repatriating the five, four of whom are still at large, to face trial in China, the official China Daily quoted an unnamed official with the graft-fighting Central Commission for Discipline Inspection as saying. "We are negotiating with our US counterparts on the five major corrupt fugitives, including Yang Xiuzhu, who is suspected of illegal immigration and is in custody awaiting deportation proceedings," said the official. "And we have decided to conduct joint investigations of the major cases." Yang has filed for asylum in the US. The report did not name the other four suspects. The official said the US had asked China to provide more evidence to help with their investigation, the official said. "We are in advanced negotiations with US judicial authorities on the five major cases, including Yang's, and will exchange information in a timely manner and offer necessary evidence to the US judicial authorities for further investigation," he added, without providing details. Reuters has found that some of China's most wanted are living openly in the US and Canada. Last week, a top Chinese anti-graft official said...
What Do Afghans Think of Pakistan?
The Heart of Asia conference in Islamabad has rekindled hopes for a revival of dialogue for regional peace. Pakistan, India and Afghanistan form the axis of animosity that has plagued the region with chronic conflicts. Since its inception, Pakistan has been sandwiched between conflicts on its eastern and western borders, and that has taken a toll on peace and human development. Two weeks ago, I visited Kabul as part of a “track 1.5/II” dialogue facilitated by two leading civil society organizations of Pakistan and Afghanistan – the Centre for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad, and Duran in Kabul. Our eight-member delegation represented various shades of civil society, including media, non-governmental organizations and the academia. During the visit, the delegation had intensive discussions with the Afghan civil society, media and political leadership, including Afghan Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah and the former president Hamid Karzai. The interaction with a cross-section of the Afghan society provided us with a unique opportunity to understand the dynamics of the conflict and the various perspectives on both sides. I returned from Afghanistan with deeper worries Perceptions and narratives have evolved over decades, because of long rivalries. A blend of genuine concerns and baseless misperceptions has resulted in a pervasive mistrust on both sides. From the civil society to the top political leadership, almost everyone in Afghanistan believes that the Pakistani establishment is singularly responsible for their plight. While they appreciated Pakistan’s generous hospitality to millions of Afghan refugees for decades, they firmly believed that elements responsible for terrorist activities in Afghanistan enjoyed cross-border support. The Haqqani group and Pakistani Taliban were frequently referred as violent outfits coddled by the Pakistani establishment. When we asked them about the presence of Mullah Fazlullah in Afghanistan, the Afghan leadership...
‘Good Friend!’
Why more Pakistanis should explore China and more Chinese should explore Pakistan Walking around in downtown Beijing, taking in the sights and sounds of the Dongcheng district, my colleague and I bumped into Christina and Lee. Bumped is perhaps an inaccurate portrayal, as they flagged us and enthusiastically asked us where we were from. ‘Pakistan,’ we said. Smiles gave way to looks of awe, and back to toothy grins. “Pakistan?” they said, giving us four animated thumbs up. “Pakistan! Good friend!” Microcosmically speaking, this is the general sense of love and admiration China feels for Pakistan, an unassuming, unadulterated sense of respect and adoration. It is only fitting that our delegation was visiting Beijing to comprehensively promote the China-Pakistan All Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, interacting with scholars, professors, academicians and researchers from across the aisle. For two days we debated, discussed and dissected the many aspects of our bilateral relations and cooperation. While the exchanges were thought-provoking, highly informative and deeply stimulating, a few critical points stand out. First, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CEPC (which the Pakistani delegation adopted as PCEC – with the goal of building ownership and shared responsibility for the project) is a small portion of a much larger, decades-long, global economic future envisioned by the Chinese. At its core, it is designed to establish China as an undeniable force in world trade and interconnectivity in the East, surpassing competitors and mitigating the expanding US pivot, while simultaneously continuing Beijing’s long-standing policy of non-interference and expanding its sphere of positive relations. This massive undertaking, crystallized in the form of the 21st century Maritime Silk Route (MSR), is viewed as China’s community of destiny in the new world order. Pakistan has the unique opportunity to be a member of this community, second only to China. It is...
Pakistani Regional Security Delegates Achieve Unprecedented Milestone for Track 1.5/ II in Kabul
A nine member Pakistani delegation comprising senior security officials, members of parliament and media arrived in Kabul on Sunday December 20th, for the first round of regional security working groups meetings, as part Beyond Boundaries, a series of Track 1.5/II meetings between Afghan and Pakistani Security Sector Stakeholders. The initiative is led by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in partnership with Afghan counterpart organization DURAN Research and Analysis. After the successful conclusion of the two-day workshop which ended in both groups agreeing and adopting a joint declaration (reproduced below), both delegations met with the Chief Executive of the National Unity Government, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on December 22nd, 2015 and with the National Security Advisor (NSA) Hanif Atmar at the Presidential Palace on December 23rd, 2015. NSA Atmar promised to take all recommendations to the 16-member National Security Council and conveyed President Ashraf Ghani's message that his government welcomes and fully supports initiatives like Beyond Boundaries. The NSA said Afghanistan was ready for a multilateral mechanism - including with friendly countries like the USA and China - which could verify allegations and actions against terrorists in both countries. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's commitment to respect and accept Afghanistan's sovereignty and his recognition of the National Unity Government. He said concrete actions against terrorist networks of all shades could greatly help in bringing the two countries together. He said Afghanistan believed in the sincerity of the Pakistani army and civilian government and hoped that it translates into solid action. He welcomed all Pakistani efforts for the reconciliation process, and expressed his willingness to talk with all those who want to bring peace to Afghanistan. He added that the window of opportunity is brief, and both countries need to accelerate the bilateral...
Chinese Investments Uplifting Bilateral Trade Relations
The Prime Minister of Pakistan has accentuated the need to accelerate the development of bilateral projects with China. Stressing upon the dire need of completion of these developmental projects sooner than soon, he anticipated, the metro train project and others related to CPEC would attract the foreign direct investments, which further would boost the economy of Pakistan. He appreciated the Chinese investment which confirms its sincere and true friendship with Pakistan. China has shown huge confidence in its trade relations with Pakistan and Pakistan is up to utilize this great opportunity to lift its industrial sector. An agreement was signed between the government and Exim Bank of China at Chief Minister’s Office on Monday for the provision of funds for Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project. Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif was chief guest at the ceremony. Under the agreement, Exim Bank of China will provide funds worth Rs 162 billion on soft terms for the metro train. Federal Secretary Economic Affairs Tariq Bajwa and Vice President of Exim Bank Sun Ping signed the documents. Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistani Ambassador in China Khalid Masood, Provincial Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, provincial ministers, MPs, chief secretary, prominent industrialists, bankers, intellectuals, columnists and senior officers of federal and provincial institutions were present on the occasion. Sharif said that today is an important juncture in the friendship between China and Pakistan as an agreement is being signed for the provision of funds for the metro train project. He said that the splendid project of metro train is an invaluable gift of Chinese government and leadership for 180 million people of Pakistan. He said that this project reflects the full confidence of Chinese leadership in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the love for people of Pakistan. He said that today is a historic day towards...
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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.