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“Knowledge Partnership B/W Think Tanks in Pakistan for China Pakistan Economic Corridor Development”
The discussion was moderated by Nadeem Ul Haque, Vice Chancellor, PIDE, Islamabad The guest speakers included: Tahir Mumtaz, Dir. China Study Centre, COMSATS University, Islamabad Miss Xiang Yang, Dir. China Study Centre, NUST, Islamabad Shakeel Jajja, China-Pakistan Management Initiative, LUMS, Lahore Nasir Afghan, Dir. China Study Centre IBA, Karachi Zahid Anwar, Pro VC/Dir. China Study Centre, University of Peshawar Abdul Sattar, Dir. China Study Centre, BUITEMS, Quetta Muhammad Tufail, PATRON China-Pakistan Economic Corridor CELL, NED, Karachi Attaullah Shah, VC/CFR on CPEC Karakoram Int. University, Gilgit Talat Shabir, Dir. China Study Centre, Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad Ms. Farhat Asif, President Peace & Diplomatic Studies, Center for BRI & China Studies, IPDS, Islamabad Mustafa Hyder Sayed, CEO, Pak-China Institute, Islamabad Key Takeaway Points: Advocacy on CPEC-Research and Implementation: Competitors are succeeding in creating the perception that CPEC has stalled since there is less visibility and projection in the public domain. The role of think tanks should be to do evidence-based quality research, pick economic trends, and what specific investment we can solicit from Pakistan. Lack of disconnect between academia and policymakers: The receiving approach needs to go away with a more effective operating model by engaging with counterparts. As scholars, there needs to be more clarity on the future trajectories and developments of CPEC. Knowledge Partnership and Lessons Learned: Translate international best practices from China by engaging with academia, media, think tanks, and youth from both countries. There should be a collective value proposition involving all stakeholders and centers regarding CPEC. The focus should be on novelty while connecting with Chinese universities and making it techno-centric rather than IR-related. Revolution not Repetition: While coordinating with China, we need to change our outlook by having an...
SIGAR questions continued aid to Afghanistan
Below are the key points from the report: — Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the United States has appropriated or otherwise made available over $8 billion in assistance to Afghan citizens and refugees. This includes more than $2 billion, primarily for humanitarian and development aid in Afghanistan, and over $3.5 billion transferred to a newly created Afghan Fund. In addition, the United States obligated $2.7 billion in FY 2022 for the Department of Defense to transport, house, and feed Afghan evacuees. (Page 7) — It is SIGAR’s judgment that the Taliban regime’s institutionalized abuse of women raises the important question for policymakers of whether the United States can continue providing aid to Afghanistan without benefitting or propping up the Taliban. First, the Taliban regime derives revenue from this aid in the form of “licenses,” “taxes,” and “administrative fees” imposed on NGOs and their employees as a condition for operating in Afghanistan. Second, U.S. aid to Afghanistan, whether humanitarian in nature or of some other kind, may inadvertently confer legitimacy onto the Taliban, both internationally and domestically. Third, the Taliban’s erasure of women from public life has substantially hindered or prevented the provision of humanitarian aid. Fourth, a record two-thirds of the country, or some 28.3 million Afghans, are depending on international food assistance this winter, according to the UN. (Page 1) — In December, Gallup released findings from a survey of Afghans conducted in July and August 2022, one year after the Taliban seized power. They found, “life is worse for Afghans than it has been at any point during the past decade—or for anyone else on the planet.” When asked to rate their lives on a scale from zero to 10, 26% of respondents said “zero.” Approximately 98% of Afghan women and 97% of Afghan men rate their lives below “four,” the threshold at which Gallup considers them to be “suffering.” This compares to the 94% “suffering”...
Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day
Kashmir Solidarity Day is being observed today on February 5 to denounce Indian occupation on Indian illegally occupied Jammu & Kashmir. The Kashmir Solidarity Day, which was proposed in 1989, every year on February 5 to express unity with the oppressed people of Indian-administered Kashmir.One minute silence will be observed at 10:00 am across Pakistan to honour the sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs. Amid nationwide condemnations, solidarity walks will also be organized in the capital Islamabad, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and in other regions. One minute silence will be observed at 10:00 am across Pakistan to honour the sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs. Amid nationwide condemnations, solidarity walks will also be organized in the capital Islamabad, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and in other regions.Kashmiris in Azad Kashmir will form human chains while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will address a special session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad today. Special posters will be displayed on important highways, airports and railway stations to highlight the plight of Kashmiris. Pakistan’s state broadcaster will air special programmes to express solidarity with the oppressed Kashmiris.President Alvi, PM Shehbaz urge intl community to hold New Delhi accountable for IIOJK violations President Dr Arif Alvi, in his message, called upon India to allow unfettered access to the United Nations and OIC observers, international media and human rights organizations to occupy Kashmir. Alvi also paid rich tribute to the sacrifices made by Kashmiris during their decades-old resistance to the Indian occupation.In his message, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to continue raising its voice on all international platforms to highlight New Delhi’s barbaric actions in the valley. The premier urged the Modi-led government to honour its commitments made to Pakistan, the UN and, above all, the Kashmiri people. He also vowed to remain vocal...
ANNUAL SECURITY REPORT- 2022
Casualties from Terror Attacks and Counter-Terror Operations Terrorist violence touched a new height in 2022. From 850 fatalities in 2021, the figure jumped to 980 in 2022 – indicating an over 15 percent rise in violence from as many as 512 terrorist incidents and counter-terror operations. The highest rise in violence was recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where fatalities went up from 399 in 2021 to 633 this year – a nearly 59% rise. Balochistan recorded a marginal increase of 1% in violence but it could not bring any relief to the region as it had the second-highest number of fatalities in the country. All other regions witnessed a drop in violence with Punjab, the largest province of the country, recorded a 61% drop in violence, followed by Sindh 50% down, and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) registered an 11% decline, while Gilgit Baltistan (GB) had no incident of violence this year (Table 01-A and Table 01-B). Both KP and Balochistan together suffered nearly 90 percent of all fatalities across the country, with the last month of the year i.e., December emerging as the deadliest for the security forces that lost at least 42 personnel in over two dozen attacks. Officials attributed the concentration of violence in KP and Balochistan to the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, where thousands of Pakistani militants and wanted terrorists – mostly linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) - reportedly enjoy safe havens and the necessary support for planning acts of terror in Pakistan. TTP demands the restoration of seven former FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) regions that had been merged with KP in May 2018. The terrorist group also wants the army to withdraw from the region, where it desires to replicate the Islamic caliphate model as enforced by the Afghan Taliban. On November 28, the group also called off a ceasefire agreement it had agreed to in June 2021. Comparing casualties of violence and counter-violence yields a very...
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India’s Rising Hostility: Should Pakistan Re-evaluate its Foreign Policy?
The political and economic unrest in Pakistan has drawn focus away from Kashmir. India, on the other hand, continues to act hostilely toward Pakistan and never misses an opportunity to disparage it, while Pakistan is expressing a wish to dialogue with its archrival. Pakistan should be willing to participate in a discourse in these circumstances, it should maintain its commitment to its values. Pakistan’s political instability and growing economic woes have been the focus of all attention, with every day unfolding something new. This has meant that policy towards India and the issue of Kashmir has taken a back seat. But under the current setup, growing interest in changing gears with India and the principled stance on Kashmir raises questions. We are seeing a new desire for peace with India and renewed hopes to move forward with the arch-rivals. Showing a desire for peace is not a sign of weakness. War brings nothing but death and destruction, and there are no real winners. No matter how ugly things get between countries, the door for diplomacy and negation is often left open. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan also held out an olive branch towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and spoke of resolving all issues, including the longstanding issue of Kashmir. But in order for peace to be achieved, the desire for peace has to be felt on both sides. India has shown no interest whatsoever in engaging in dialogue with Pakistan. Instead, India has made it very clear that dialogue will only resume on India’s terms and when India chooses to do so. India under Narendra Modi continues to show hostility and misses no opportunity to discredit and malign Pakistan on every international forum. There has been a lot of talk surrounding “taking back Indian occupied Kashmir” and a lot of bravado for domestic consumption coming from the likes of Home Minister Amit Shah. No speech is complete without a mention of Pakistan. And the same goes for India’s media. Majority of its content...
US-Japan pact may increase global tension
In a historic shift from the post-World War II international order, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida cast off the country's pacifist limitations during a recent meeting with United States President Joe Biden, a move that will increase regional and geopolitical tension, experts said. "Japan has actually broken out of its six decades of pacifist status," said Wang Qi, a researcher of East Asia at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. "So the question now is whether the world is ready to accept an aggressive Japan that is committed to growing its military and is less hesitant to use military power as one of its statecraft tools, because we all remember what happened the last time Japan did these things," Wang said. Meeting with Biden on Friday on the last leg of a G7 tour ahead of the group's summit in Hiroshima in May, Kishida said the US-Japan alliance was "stronger than ever". Biden said, "The United States is fully, thoroughly, completely committed to the alliance and, more importantly, to the defense of Japan" — showing Washington's support for the country's controversial rearmament plan, which aims to double Japan's defense spending over the next five years. The two leaders signed a pact to deepen cooperation on security and space, among other areas. Japan agreed to upgrade the intelligence and surveillance capabilities of US troops stationed in Japan. The US endorsed Japan's decision to develop counterstrike capabilities, which would allow Tokyo to defend itself from incoming missiles and launch strikes against possible aggressors. "Biden's support for Japan's rearmament, is, in a way, a very selfish act in making Japan a cat's-paw to contain China," said Xu Liping, director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies of the CASS. "In fact, the US has reneged on some of the commitments it made after World War II, and (the support) is, to some extent, a kind of disrespect for the sacrifice of the US military during the war," Xu said. "It is very...
HIGHLIGHTS OF CHINA-ARAB COOPERATION
DIPLOMACY The Arab-Chinese Summit held in Riyadh in December 2022, represents a massive leap in the development of Arab-Chinese relations and carries important significant economic and political implications. It arrived at a time when US-Saudi ties are at their lowest points, and the tension between Washington and Beijing is on the rise. The Middle Eastern countries, are currently diversifying their relations by strengthening their ties with China, Russia, India, and other nations. This Chinese-Saudi-Gulf Arab summit establishes a legal framework for relations between China and the Arab world, which promotes the growth of such ties on all fronts—economic, political, security, and cultural. From $36 billion to $330 billion in 2021. BILATERAL TRADE During Xi’s Visit to Riyadh, both countries signed investment deals worth $34 billion. Their bilateral trade has already crossed $80 billion. The summit also discussed promising investment opportunities with China in the presence of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The Projects include: The development hub of the Suez Canal and the new administrative capital in Egypt. The NEOM project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia within the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. SECURITY/ENERGY Chinese companies are building ports and free trade zones in the region, including Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Cooperation between China and Arab countries has also grown to include digital technology, renewable energy, tourism, and aviation. Most of the GCC countries use Chinese Huawei technology in their communications networks. Since 2017, China has become the largest importer of crude oil worldwide, and the Middle East is likely to account for 70% of China’s energy needs by 2030. Cooperation in the field of new and renewable energy was another key topic at the summit. In November 2022, Qatar Energy signed a 27-year deal to supply China’s Sinopec with liquefied natural gas (LNG), the longest agreement in the history of LNG industry in the world....
‘Successful’ Afghan policy: at what cost?
State of denial and delusional notions can at times obscure the ability to critical analysis. One of the obvious consequences thereof is often misplaced megalomania and skewed strategies. The much more fatal consequence ensuing from this is the reputational cost to individuals and nations. A case in point is Pakistan’s Afghan policy and its debilitating impact, effecting belief that the country successfully helped in first driving the Soviet Russian forces out of Afghanistan and then partnered with the US and Allies in the war on terror — a mission that the US terminated prematurely in late August 2021. It resulted in the return of former hosts of al-Qaeda i.e. Taliban who now apparently host Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K), Daesh, Ahrarul Hind, al-Qaeda inter alia. Top TTP leadership for sure is nestled in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan — ably supported also by fighters of Hafiz Gul Bahadur (former North Waziristan warlord). At what cost did Pakistan achieve the distinction of having been instrumental in defeating Russia and then “terrorists” whom the US signed into power again through the Doha process? The advocates of successful Afghan policy rarely introspected that Pakistan’s placement in the Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June 2018 stemmed from an old security-centric flawed policy devoid of considerations for the global response. The policy had centred on and inclined to the support for militant groups in and outside Pakistan and was tied to the Kashmir cause which meant “diplomatic, moral and political” backing of the freedom fighters. But the policymakers failed to comprehend India’s growing international relevance in the new millennium, particularly after the hijacking to Kandahar of the Indian airlines flight IC 814 in December 1999 by militants who ended up in Pakistan after their release from Indian jails. They kept ignoring the grave consequences of...
Secret behind China’s Quest for Pride and Rejuvenation of the Society?
China’s phenomenal socio-economic growth continues unabated. Even the COVID-19 Pandemic could not dent obstruct this trajectory. Hostility by the US-led West has also failed in stemming the Chinese progress. Naghmana Hashmi, Pakistan’s Former Ambassador to China, traces this rise to the Chinese leadership’s quest for pride and rejuvenation of the society as an un-ignorable member of the global community https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T23602Ij0XM&t=7s
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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.