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China spending in Pakistan to bring stability: Economist
Pakistan and China have such a long-standing and harmonious relationship that both sides sometimes come close to believing the official mantra that the ties that bind them really are higher than the highest mountains. When China sent swift condolences to Pakistan after the slaughter of over 130 schoolchildren in a terror attack in Peshawar last month, it was more than a perfunctory gesture, The Economist said in an article. The newspaper quoted a book written by an Asian expert Andrew Small who argues that China’s ties with Pakistan, which were established during Mao’s rule and are based on shared hostility towards India, thrive on many common interests. A long history of secret deals between their two armies – overrides the problems with Islamic extremism. Six years of research have enabled Mr Small to produce a detailed account of decades of close dealings between the two countries. In that time he won the confidence of many sources in the Chinese army, military intelligence and the security services. Their officials are as tight-lipped as the Pakistanis are garrulous. Yet he managed to loosen them up, at least enough. Mr Small describes a friendship that is more enduring and has far better prospects than Pakistan’s up-and-down connection with America. The high points of that relationship – as when Pakistan facilitated the groundbreaking visit of Henry Kissinger to China in 1971 which led in turn to Richard Nixon’s historic trip to Beijing and later during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan – have long since passed. He says China helped Pakistan acquire the nuclear bomb, and is Pakistan’s biggest supplier of military equipment. Now it is building two sizeable civilian nuclear reactors that should help ease the country’s chronic energy shortfall. As China expands its reach throughout Asia, Pakistan has become central to its plans for a network of ports, pipelines, roads and railways that will bring oil and gas from the Middle East. The Chinese government is...
The two Sharifs
Amid the crippling petrol, gas and power crisis, the dithering civilians are thumping their chests to be the real representatives of the suffering people, with little long-term relief for the latter in sight. The omnipresent military establishment is quietly reaching out to all those who matter for Pakistan’s strategic interests. Nawaz Sharif, along with his family and friends, is praying for the Saudi King’s health at Mecca. Gen Raheel Sharif, on the other hand, is peddling hard abroad. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs keeps adjusting itself to the winks and whims of a resigned prime minister, the GHQ is on a full-throttle diplomatic offensive to engage Americans, the Brits and Afghans like never before. The delineation of power is clear. The Foreign Ministry seems to be held back by its laid back seniors. Even those who would want to upend the GHQ keep cringing helplessly because of their two cautious bosses. The relatively younger, more dynamic senior military leadership, on the other hand, is lunging for opportunities to network wherever possible. Besides General Sharif, the ISI chief, and those leading the southern and northern commands, are busy repairing relations with the US and the Afghans. Look at the string of military visits to Kabul, starting with the December 17 air-dash f Gen Sharif to Kabul, followed by the ISI chief, and the Peshawar corps commander. Where is the civilian command in the entire Afghanistan-Pakistan matrix? Busy in petty political rhetoric (trying to outgun Imran Khan) or personal enrichment pursuits. The record hardly speaks for them. On January 6, they surrendered even the judicial powers to the army and that too with a thumping near-unanimity. And then half of the country sank in the oil crisis for well over a week, forcing citizens to queue up for diesel and petrol. What next? Will the Petroleum Ministry be handed over to the GHQ, or the Civil Aviation Authority (so it can complete the new Islamabad airport) or the...
Paradigm shift
Qalandar is a taxi driver from Islamabad, and belongs squarely to the lowest rung of the socio-economic ladder. He is uneducated, unskilled, and barely gets by with his taxi earnings. On Friday, January 16, he took out time from his daily routine to attend a protest held in Islamabad to commemorate the one-month anniversary of the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar. “Taliban! The cruel! (Taliban! Zaliman!)”, he shouted with the crowd, a solitary tear streaming down his face. The attack on schoolchildren in Peshawar is the most tragic, brazen and horrendous act of terrorism Pakistan has witnessed, and its aftershocks can be sensed resonating through citizens and rulers alike. On the one-month anniversary of the attack that left 141 dead, including 132 children, commemoration protests were held in Pakistan and around the world. Civil society gathered in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Dera Allahyar, Bahawapur, Faisalabad, Jhelum, Peshawar, Quetta, Hyderabad, as well as London, York, New York, Boston, Washington DC, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, Toronto, Nairobi, Perth, and Berlin, at 6 pm local time, to mark the anniversary. In the federal capital Islamabad, hundreds gathered at the Aabpara Market intersection in sector G6, shouting anti-Taliban slogans, and bewailing the loss of the departed. Several speakers addressed the crowd, touching upon a variety of themes in the long, sordid history of the conflicts that besiege daily life in Pakistan today. These included members of the Hazara community, human, especially minority rights activists and leaders, and even the father of Shama, one of two Christians brutally murdered in a blasphemy-related incident in Kot Radha Kishan in the Punjab on November 4, 2014. “I have four children,” says Qalandar. “I can’t imagine losing one of them. [In Peshawar] we lost hundreds. Every time I see their faces on the television, I think of my own. How could they do this? How could they murder little children like dogs in the...
Military Courts: Ahmar Bilal Soofi Gives a way forward
The parliament of Pakistan passed 21st amendment to the constitution on January 6, 2015, which provides for the composition of military courts for the period of two years for speedy trial of the terrorism related cases. However, the 21st amendment has triggered a debate; whether its composition is according to law and international standards of human rights? Former Law minister and highly esteemed international law jurist Ahmar Bilal Soofi speaks about its formation at a discussion forum organized by Research Society of International Law (RSIL), “Pakistan is in its rights to constitute these courts which mostly conform to the international law”. Meanwhile, Soofi brought Pakistani security dynamics to light in the context of international law as well as laws of Pakistan. Soofi said, “Pakistan is in a state of war and every segment of the Pakistani society, from government in the center to governments of provinces, opposition and political parties, civil society and local populace all agree that a war has been waged against the state of Pakistan. We must fight back to protect our state and constitution as loyalty to the state is duty of every citizen and obedience to the constitution an obligation of every citizen, referring to article 5 of the Pakistani constitution”. He further stated that United Nations (UN) resolutions 1267, 1373 and 1540 are binding on its all member states. The international law obligations are not only binding for the center but its federating units as well, he said. In Pakistan law of war can be invoked by the use of article 245 and 256 of the constitution. Article 245 states that (1) The Armed Forces shall, under the directions of the Federal Government, defend Pakistan against external aggression or threat of war, and, subject to law, act in aid of civil power when called upon to do so. (2) The validity of any direction issued by the Federal Government under clause (1) shall not be called in question in any Court. Furthermore, article 256...
Pakistan bans Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Haqqani Network
The government of Pakistan in pursuing the Nation Action Plan (NAP) to curb terrorism from the country finally bans the Kashmir focused Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Afghan centric Haqqani Network. Both the groups are banned and declared terrorists by the United Nations and United States. The United Nations Security Council has placed sanctions against JuD in December 2008. The Security Council's al-Qaida and Taliban sanctions committee added them to its list of terrorists subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. While, on November 5, 2012, the Security Council’s Taliban sanctions committee added Haqqani Network to UN blacklist. US Foreign Secretary John Kerry also called on Pakistani authorities to ban the groups in his recent visit to Pakistan on January 16, 2015, where he met the civil and political leadership and also addressed Pakistan-US strategic dialogue. In a significant move towards the execution of the National Action Plan against terrorism, the interior ministry has included the Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and the Haqqani network in the list of proscribed outfits, it has been learnt. Talking to Dawn.com, an interior ministry official said the United States had sought a ban on the Haqqani network and the Jamaatud Dawa but the matter was being delayed. However, he added, the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar by terrorists belonging to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan caused the government to take action against militant organisations without making a distinction between the good Taliban and the bad Taliban. According to the documents available with Dawn.com, the interior ministry has added Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, Ummah Tameer-i-Nau, Haji Khairullah Hajji Sattar Money Exchange, Rahat Limited, Roshan Money Exchange, Al Akhtar Trust, Al Rashid Trust, Haqqani network and Jamaatud Dawa to the list of proscribed organisations. “During his recent visit to Islamabad, US Secretary of State...
Equal rights and citizenry for FATA people stressed at Quaid-i-Azam University
ISLAMABAD, January 21: Since the people of Federally Administered Tribal Areas are hankering for justice and fundamental human rights, the government should amend the colonial Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) of 1901 and hold local bodies system to empower the people at grassroots level. Unless there is peace in FATA, it will act like a black hole for whole of Pakistan, this was stated by Imtiaz Gul, the Executive Director, Centre for Research and Security Studies while delivering lecture on “FATA Reforms and Federal Structure of Pakistan: A Way Forward”, here on Wednesday. The event was organized by the Pakistan Study Group on Federalism (PSGF) at the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. Gul said that women have no rights in FATA and the FCR has no clause for women’s right. There has been legislation for women throughout Pakistan but none for women of FATA, he recalled. Responding to a question, he said no judicial oversight is permitted, since there is a bar to the jurisdiction of superior courts. No legal recourse is available to the population, the Jirga or the elders decide everything, he said. Replying a question, the speaker said the Political Agents exercise immense power in FATA; they simultaneously exercise the role of executive and judiciary. Judiciary and administrative roles need to be separated in FATA. Article 247 of the constitution must be amended so that the people of FATA may be treated equally and with equity, he observed. Gul deplored that there are eight FATA Senators and 12 members of National Assembly but they cannot represent FATA effectively as they are primarily there to serve the mainstream political parties and the ruling elites. In 2011, President Asif Ali Zardari introduced reforms in the FCR which could not be implemented so far, he recalled. A collective approach of Parliament is required either to reform or repeal the draconian law of FCR which gives absolute powers...
Maximizing benefits of Pak-China FTA II
Deliberations over the second phase of the Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement have begun with a clear understanding between both countries that the benefits of the first phase of the FTA skewed in favour of the Oriental giant. SBP trade data suggests that exports to China have expanded since the first FTA went into effect in 2007. However, the gains made by Chinese exporters tower over benefits derived by Pakistani firms selling goods and services to China. It is also noteworthy that trade data reported by China asserts that their exports to Pakistan are significantly higher than the SBP tally, clocking in at $14 billion during the last fiscal. Three underlying principles for the second phase are that it is independent of the first phase, tariff reduction will not be reciprocal, rather it will be aimed at providing more benefits to Pakistan, and that each country will reserve the right to ascribe quotas on specific products in case of sudden import surge. These modalities are undoubtedly cognizant of the fact that sustainable trade liberalization can only result from a win-win situation for both countries. However, they may not be enough to ensure that tariff reductions obtained from the Chinese will translate to more balanced bilateral trade. An official responsible for capacity enhancement at a domestic steel manufacturing firm told BR Research that his firm had to contest a case in Sindh High Court before Pakistan Customs allowed that company to import a transformer from China that local companies were incapable of supplying. "Despite the FTA, it is difficult to import machinery that can improve efficiencies or productivity. But bringing in finished goods like phones and electronics is easy as cake", he asserted. Another commonly cited shortcoming is that the list of items under the FTA contains many irrelevant items while overlooking other, more logical export prospects. Federal Minister for Commerce, Khurram Dastagir Khan also conceded the same problem in a...
Credibility on trial again
The government’s commitment against terrorist networks is on trial again. Let us see why. Generally, the series of military and government actions since the December 16 attack, including the 20-point action plan, more than two dozen executions and passing of the 21stAmendment, sparked unusual hope among the majority of the country that we will be taking the monster of militancy head on. The December 16 tragedy had evoked global sympathy too. The Pakistani expatriate community, particularly those living in Europe and North America, also felt the pain of the aggrieved families. Their grief was not unique for a very simple reason: they live in countries where the law does not distinguish between the rich and poor, or between the mighty and helpless, the privileged and the underdogs. At least theoretically, and largely in practice too, the law takes its course whenever violated; hence, the strong craving among expatriate Pakistanis for the rule of law and a relentless pursuit of those breaking it within Pakistan. A 10-point resolution adopted at a Pakistani community meeting convened on December 23 by the Forum for International Relations Development in London, for instance, also resonates that sentiment. At least seven of the 10 points of the resolution relate to the need for governmental resolve against terrorist forces operating in the country and an emphatic demand for demonstrating “unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the democratic process in Pakistan”. The resolution stands out as an expression for “urgent government action” in areas such as dealing with outlawed sectarian, religious radical outfits, hate speech and intolerance. Interestingly, many of the demands are already part of the Anti-Terrorism Act (1997), and the entire resolution, in fact, reflected the frustration of these expatriates with the non-enforcement of these laws. A series of discussions since the Peshawar massacre with Pakistanis settled in different countries suggests that they...
The goldmine of free expression
What constitutes an obscene abuse of free speech will vary from society to society. The great contradiction of globalism is that individual cultural differences, not to mention national borders, are still very much alive and well We come into this world crying, and by that we are marked as healthy. We leave it with our last words imparting whatever final wisdom they can to those who matter to us. In those moments, expression is free and fearless. All our lives, the desire to express what we feel even if — sometimes especially if — it flows against the tide of our surroundings, our friends, our family, is palpable; a living thing that beat its wings against the warm but stifling cage of our heart and yearns to burst forth. So often, we swallow it back down. So often, for good reason: to keep our friendships, to avoid hurting our family, to spare the dignity of a stranger we do not know, though we believe his opinions to be dreadfully in error. Not everything that yearns to be free should be at every moment. If you gave voice to every thought that flashed in your brain, your social and professional life expectancy would be measured in hours, not days. We censor ourselves all the time. There is nothing inherently heroic or cowardly about that, good or ill. It is a way of negotiating life. But when someone else makes that decision for us, snatches it from us, when the state legislates against our expression, we should fight that fight every time. We may not win every fight, perhaps we should not win every fight, but we should fight it all the same. Because even though 99 percent of expression is pointless, trite, repetitive, dull, offensive, vapid or shrill, that remaining one percent is worth more than we imagine. Very little of what comes out of a goldmine is gold but we keep the mine open because, in the filthy darkness, through that hard and tedious and sometimes dangerous rock, we know we will find those gleaming nuggets, precious beyond measure. Exceptions to...
Energy security
At the famous Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London, sculptures representing renowned individuals from history, politics and popular culture stand in silent vigil, eerily lifelike but transfixed in inaction. This silent house of waxworks is strongly reminiscent of the new building of the national power regulator NEPRA, located in the heart of the capital yet like Madame Tussaud's serving little purpose except to entertain the beholder. In truth, this edifice stands as further testament to the waste of public money. Indeed, its only importance seems to derive from its tall proportions, a perfect example of modern technology standing as a false beacon of national prosperity. The interior environment offers 'new ways of working' and the offices have a lavish decor with contemporary furniture and plush furnishings. In the Eighties, the global power market landscape changed and the purpose of regulation became protecting consumers. In 1997, at a time when 25% extra- electricity was available to export, share of cheap hydroelectricity was more than 50%, Pakistan had the chance to follow UK's example when Nepra, emerged with an 18-page Act mandated to issue licenses for power generation, distribution and transmission. At the same time, it had to ensure provision of consistent electricity at affordable rates and create a level playing field for power companies. During the last decade, globally the regulators have made dramatic changes in regulations. The transformations, including technological advances and increasing renewable energy share, increasing efficiency for cost reductions, and climate change concerns are incorporated to ensure sustainable economic development by supply electricity at affordable rates. One of the key roles of regulators is energy audit, to ensure minimum use of fuel to generate single unit of electricity. Nepra Act was also amended three times, when three amendments related to the qualification of the chairperson were made to the original...
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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.