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Pakistani Christian asylum seeker dies from neglect in Thailand's brutal IDC

Ijaz Paras Masih was arrested on the 6th June 2016 during a raid at his condo. The father of three was arrested with dozens of other Pak-Christians as Thai authorities began a heavy clampdown on unwanted asylum seekers. He was captured with three other family members but his wife and children who were out of the home at the time escaped detainment. 

Mr Masih had escaped from Pakistan with a large swathe of his family, dozens of who travelled to Thailand to seek asylum, others to Dubai, Malaysia and other destinations which are unknown outside their original homeland. The family have lost touch with each other in a sad case of fear-driven isolation. 

Their reason for fleeing what had been comfortable lives was to escape the zealots out to massacre their whole family after two brothers had been accused of blasphemy including one Qaiser Ayub Bhatti who originally escaped to Thailand. Sadly for Mr Bhatti who held a Master’s degree in IT he sought asylum in Thailand but was rejected by an apathetic UNHCR despite compelling evidence. He was forced back to Pakistan in 2014 after which he was traced and captured by Police and is now serving a blasphemy sentence with his brother for an alleged online blasphemy offence. The Masih family started being threatened for hiding Qaiser in their home and life became untenable after a series of threats in 2015. 

Whilst incarcerated in the brutal Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in Bangkok Mr Masih started to exhibit signs of poor health despite being perfectly healthy before his arrest. He was regularly fatigued, found himself gaining high blood pressure, in regular pain and then on 22nd October 2016, he was rushed to a local hospital after he collapsed to the floor and was unable to upright himself whilst talking in a slurred fashion. 

The only silver lining of Mr Maish's poor health was the ability to meet his family and touch them for the first time in months. 

It was not good news for Mr Masih, he had suffered a severe stroke and this eventually left him totally paralysed on the left side of his body. Mr Masih was never the same again. 

Thai authorities and the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees allegedly refused to pay for his treatment which included a total of 22 days as an inpatient - a few months later a kindly Pastor covered the costs but the failure by the poor family left Thai Authorities with a fatally poor impression of Mr Maish - one that would lead to his death. 

The failure by the Thai Authorities and UNHCR to cover ongoing medical treatment meant that a potentially controllable health condition was left to fester. Mr Masih complained about his health condition daily to know avail his requests for treatment were constantly ignored by both the Thai Authorities and UNHCR reducing Mr Maish's quality of life during his last few months. 

Yesterday (27th May 2017) whilst the detention centre staff where putting inmates through a physical exercise routine that is extremely arduous, Mr Masih complained about a pain in his chest. Apathetic detainee guards decided Mr Masih was pretending to be in pain to avoid the strenuous workout scheduled for detainees and so they chose to isolate Mr Masih in solitary confinement as a punishment. 

Not only did this alarming abuse of power result in Mr Masih being totally traumatised as per witness accounts from several other detainees who all saw Mr Masih visibly in pain. Moreover it exacerbated the condition Mr Masih was in which is now believed to be the early period of a heart attack. Mr Masih had been groaning with the pain he felt and asked for help, but was allegedly completely ignored. Other detainees heard him begging for the IDC staff to save his life, one detainee spoke with a relative and said: 

"This was a very distressing time for all of us. We could hear Mr Masih demanding that he be taken to hospital. IDC officer told him to stop pretending and despite his pain and the ignorance of the guards Mr Masih stayed noble and dignified. 

"Mr Masih simply asked that he be given a check-up so that he could receive the necessary treatment he required to stay alive. They refused to help for no other reason then the family's inability to pay for treatment. 

This whole situation has shocked us all to our core many of us have cried for our lost brother - he suffered so much just so one day he could be free of the daily threat to his life in Pakistan. Now his death has been most undignified he has been treated worse than an animal." 

To make matters worse Mr Masih suffered the ignominy of urinating in his clothes whilst in isolation a consequence of his rapidly declining health. 

Other inmates were so distressed by what was happening they clubbed together and collected 2000 baht and pleaded with the IDC staff to take Mr Masih to hospital. But despite every effort of his comrades and his obvious discomfort and pain the insouciant staff remained resolute that Mr Masih must be punished. 

Eventually after some hours Mr Masih was taken out of Isolation and taken to the communal showers to clean himself from his earlier uncontrolled urination. Whilst in a shower he collapsed and never woke again having suffered what other inmates are describing as a 'complete loss of dignity'. 

Instead of calling a paramedic or an ambulance or attempting to resuscitate Mr Masih, IDC staff dragged Mr Masih's body to the communal area where all the inmates are kept and deliberated with one senior officer after the other for an alleged 2 hours before finally receiving the go-ahead to call an ambulance to remove the corpse of Mr Masih and for a post-mortem examination at a local hospital. It was later that the autopsy confirmed that Mr Masih had died of a heart-attack. 

Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, rushed across to meet the grieving widow of Mr Masih a strong determined woman called Shahida. She now faces a world without her husband which is extremely difficult when raised in a strongly patriarchal culture. Mr Masih's children have found it hard to cope with the loss of their father, who was kept away from them under extremely harsh conditions for the last few months of his existence. 

Whilst with the family Wilson called the UNHCR 24 hour hotline who expressed their great sorrow at the death of Mr Masih. They have agreed to meet with several family members and Mr Chowdhry at the UNHCR head office tomorrow, though a time has still to be agreed. 

- See more at: http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/detail.php?hnewsid=6475#sthash.3ZWcbYGq.dpuf

اداریہ تعمیر پاکستان: سعودی عرب کے وائسرائے نواز شریف نے پاکستان کو مڈل ایسٹ کی دلدل میں پھنسا ہی دیا

امریکی صدر ڈونلڈ ٹرمپ نے اتوار کے روز سعودی عرب کی جانب سے نام نہاد مذھبی دہشت گردی کے خلاف بلائی جانے والی مسلم سربراہوں کی کانفرنس سے خطاب کرتے ہوئے دعوی کیا کہ یہ خیر اور شر کے درمیان معرکہ ہے اور ان سب کو مذھب کے نام پہ ہونے والی دہشت گردی کے خلاف متحد ہونے کی ضرورت ہے۔

انتہائی جذباتی تقریر میں امریکی صدر ڈونلڈ ٹرمپ نے اپنی تقریر میں ایران کو مکمل طور پہ نشانہ بناتے ہوئے ایران پہ الزام عائد کیا کہ وہ فرقہ وارانہ تصادم اور دہشت گردی کی آگ کو ہوا دے رہا ہے اور اس کی یہ حرکت اسے عالمی سطح پہ تنہا کررہی ہے

امریکی صدر نے کہا کہ وہ دوستی، رجائیت اور محبت کا پیغام لیکر آئے ہیں اور مسلم ممالک کے سربراہان کو چاہئیے کہ وہ ایمانداری سے مذھبی انتہاپسندی کے بحران کا مقابلہ کریں۔

یہ بربریت اور تمام مذاہب کے امن پسندوں کے درمیان جنگ ہے۔بربریت کے دل دادہ مجرم انسانی زندگی کو ختم کرنے جبکہ امن پسند اس کی حفاظت کرنے کی کوشش کررہے ہیں

امریکی صدر نے حیرت انگیز طور پہ دہشت گردی سے سب سے زیادہ متاثرہ ممالک میں بھارت کا نام لیکر ذکر کیا لیکن انھوں نے پاکستان کا بھولے سے بھی ذکر کرنا مناسب خیال نہ کیا۔

اس سے یہ اندازہ لگانا مشکل نہیں ہے کہ دہشت گردی کے خلاف ہونے والی سعودی عرب کی میزبانی میں اس کانفرنس میں پاکستان کے دہشت گردی بارے بیانیہ اور موقف کو اس کانفرنس میں کہاں تک اہمیت دی گئی ہے۔

پاکستانی وزیراعظم ملک کی بھاری اکثریت کی خواہشات کے برعکس اور مین سٹریم سیاسی و مذھبی جماعتوں کی جانب سے سعودی فوجی اتحاد میں شمولیت کی زبردست مخالفت کے باوجود اس کانفرنس میں شریک ہوئے اور وہ ایک متنازعہ فوجی اتحاد میں نہ صرف شامل ہوئے بلکہ سابق آرمی چیف کو اس فوجی اتحاد کا سربراہ بننے کا این او سی بھی دے دیا۔ابتک حکومت اس فیصلے پہ تنقید کرنے والوں کو یہ بتانے سے قاصر رہی ہے کہ اس فیصلے سے پاکستان کو عالمی سطح پہ کیا فوائد حاصل ہوں گے۔

امریکی صدر کے سعودیہ عرب کے دورے کے دوران امریکی صدر کے بیانات اور کانفرنس میں کی گئی تقریر جبکہ خود سعودی عرب کے بادشاہ سلمان ، وزیر دفاع محمد بن سلمان کے بیانات اور تقاریر سے یہ بات واضح ہوگئی ہے کہ سعودی۔امریکی اتحاد خطے میں داعش، القاعدہ وغیرہ کے خلاف نہیں بلکہ اصل میں یہ شام ، لبنان، عراق، ایران، روس اور دیگر ان ممالک کے خلاف ہے جو مڈل ایسٹ، شمالی افریقہ سمیت دنیا بھر میں سعودی وھابی ازم ، جہاد ازم اور تکفیر ازم کے نام پہ آل سعود کی قبضہ گیری اور امریکہ سمیت مغربی حکومتوں کا شام، یمن وغیرہ پہ جو موقف ہے اس کی مخالفت کرنے اور مزاحمت کرنے والے ممالک کے خلاف بنایا گیا ہے۔

امریکی صدر کو سعودی شاہ سلمان بن عبدالعزیز نے خطاب کی دعوت دیتے ہوئے ایران کو عالمی دہشت گردی کا سرپرست قرار دیا تو خود امریکی صدر نے مڈل ایسٹ میں دہشت گردی اور فرقہ واریت کا سارا الزام ایران کے سر پہ تھونپ دیا۔

لبنان سے عراق تک اور عراق سے میں تک ایران دہشت گردوں، مسلح گروہوں اور دوسرے انتہاپسندوں کو پیسے، اسلحہ اور تربیت دے رہا ہے جوکہ خطے میں افراتفری اور تباہی پھیلا رہے ہیں۔جب تک ایرانی رجیم تمام اقوام کے ساتھ ملکر امن کے لیے کام کرنے پہ رضامند نہیں ہوجاتا اس وقت تک کے لیے اسے الگ تھلگ اور تنہا کرنے پہ کام کیا جائے۔ساتھ ہی انہوں نے مسلم ممالک سے درخواست کی کہ دہشت گردوں کو ان کی سرزمین پہ پناہ نہیں ملنی چاھیے

امریکی صدر ٹرمپ نے امریکہ کی خارجہ پالیسی میں اوبامہ دور میں سعودی عرب اور گلف ریاستوں کی انسانی حقوق کی پامالی بارے اور وھابی ازم پہ مبنی دہشت گردی کو فنڈ کیے جانے بارے ہلکی سی تبدیلی پیدا کی تھی اور ایران بارے رویہ بدلے جانے کا جو اشارہ دیا تھا اس کو یکسر بدل دیا ہے۔

یہ سوچ صرف ہماری نہیں ہے بلکہ دنیا بھر میں خود مغربی اور ایشیائی مین سٹریم میڈیا کی جانب سے بھی اسی رائے کا اظہار کیا جارہا ہے۔مثال کے طور پہ پاکستانی انگریزی میڈیا کا معتبر نام ڈان میڈیا گروپ کی انگریزی ویب سائٹ نے امریکی صدر ڈونلڈ ٹرمپ کے خطاب کی رپورٹ اے ایف پی اور دیگر خبررساں ایجنسیوں کے ذریعے سے جو شایع کی اس میں بتایا کہ وائٹ ہاءوس نے سابق صدر اوبامہ کے دورہ سعودی عرب سے ٹرمپ کے دورے کو الگ رکھنے کے لیے جو لائحہ عمل اختیار کیا اس میں اوبامہ کی طرح مسلم عرب بادشاہوں کو اپنے ممالک میں انسانی حقوق کی صورت حال بہتر بنانے کا لیکچر اور نصیحت شامل نہیں ہے جیسے صدر اوبامہ نے کی تھی۔اور یہاں تک کہ صدر اوبامہ نے گلف ممالک کو ایران بارے نرم رویہ اختیار کرنے تک کی نصیحت کرڈالی تھی۔

اس کانفرنس نے سعودی عرب کے عزائم کو بہت ہی زیادہ واضح کردیا ہے۔اس سے پہلے نام نہاد مسلم نیٹو بارے اگر کوئی ابہام موجود بھی تھا اس کانفرنس نے اسے ہٹادیا ہے۔سعودی عرب امریکی صدر ڈونلڈ ٹرمپ کی آشیرباد سے اور ایک طاقتور فوجی اتحاد کے ذریعے سے ایک طرف تو خود سعودی عرب میں آل سعود کے خلاف پھیلنے والی مزاحمت کو کچلنا اور خاص طور پہ سعودی عرب کے مشرقی صوبے عوامیہ میں شیعہ اکثریت کی تحریک کو ختم کرنا ہے۔یہ فوجی اتحاد مشرقی صوبے عوامیہ ، بحرین میں چل رہی بڑی عوامی جمہوری تحریک ، یمن میں آل سعود کی غلام کٹھ پتلی حکومت کے خلاف حوثی ، صالح عبداللہ کے اتحاد کی مزاحمت ، شام میں تکفیری سلفی گروپوں کے خلاف موجود مزاحمت کو کچل ڈالنے کا عزم رکھتا ہے۔اور ظاہر سی بات ہے کہ سعودی عرب یہ سب کام ایک طرف تو امریکی صدر کی حمائت اور دوسری طرف مسلم ممالک کی افواج کے دستوں کے ذریعے سے کروانا چاہتا ہے۔

یہ بہت واضح ایسا فرقہ وارانہ ایجنڈا ہے جس کی مسلم ممالک میں نہ تو جمہور اہل سنت اور نہ ہی جمہور اہل تشیع اجازت دے سکتے ہیں کیونکہ یہ جمہور اہلسنت کی فکری و ثقافتی زندگی کے لیے بھی کسی بڑے خطرے سے کم نہیں ہے۔اور سعودی فوجی اتحاد نہ صرف مڈل ایسٹ میں تکثریت پسندی کا دشمن ثابت ہوگا بلکہ یہ پورے عالم اسلام میں تکفیر ازم ، جہاد ازم اور مذھبی فاشزم کو ایک معیاری قدر کے طور پہ مسلط کردے گا۔

پاکستان کو اس اتحاد میں شمولیت کا فائدہ کیا ہے ؟ فائدہ صرف و صرف نواز شریف خاندان اور سابق آرمی چیف سمیت چند ان ایجنٹوں کو ہوتا نظر آرہا ہے جن کی جیبیں حق خدمت کے عوض سعودی عرب کا حکمران خاندان بھرے گا۔جبکہ اس اتحاد میں شمولیت کے بعد سعودی نواز مذھبی انتہاپسند قوتوں کو اس ملک کے صوفی سنی اور اہل تشیع کے خلاف پروپیگنڈہ کرنے اور نفرت کو مزید گہرا کرنے کا موقعہ بھی میسر آجائے گا۔یہ فوجی و سیاسی اتحاد پاکستان کی عالمی سطح پہ بھارت کے خلاف موقف کو بھی کچھ مدد فراہم نہیں کرسکے گا۔کیونکہ سعودی عرب سمیت اس اتحاد میں شامل کوئی ملک بھارت کو ناراض کرنے کی پوزیشن میں دکھائی نہیں دیتا۔پاکستان کا رفیق حریری نواز شریف پاکستان کو مڈل ایسٹ کی فرقہ وارانہ دلدل میں ڈبودینے کی کوشش کررہا ہے اور اس کے اقدامات سے پاکستان میں خانہ جنگی کا خدشہ بڑھتا جاتا ہے جبکہ پاکستان میں شیعہ نسل کشی میں شدت آنے اور دیگر اقلیتوں پہ مظالم بڑھ جانے کا بھی اندیشہ موجود ہے۔

ہم سمجھتے ہیں کہ پاکستان کی سیکولر مین سٹریم جماعتوں کو پارلیمنٹ کے اندر اور باہر نواز حکومت کے سعودی اتحاد میں شمولیت کے معاملے پہ سخت مزاحمت کی ضرورت ہے۔

پاکستان کی صوفی سنی اور اہل تشیع کی نمائندگی کرنے والی مذھبی و سیاسی جماعتوں کو بھی اپنی موجودہ روش پہ غور کرنے کی ضرورت ہے اور ان کو نواز حکومت کے اس فیصلے کے خلاف رائے عامہ ہموار کرنے اور زبردست عوامی دباءو پیدا کرنے والا پروگرام تیار کرنے کی ضرورت ہے تاکہ پاکستان کو مذھبی بنیادوں پہ کسی قسم کی افراتفری ، بحران اور خدانخواستہ کسی مذھبی بنیادوں پہ خانہ جنگی کا شکار ہونے سے بچایا جاسکے۔ آل سعود کا وائسرائے پاکستان کو لبنان جیسی صورت حال سے  دوچار کرنا چاہتا ہے جس کے خلاف مزاحمت بہت ضروری  ہے

https://lubpak.com/archives/352710

Pakistan - BANNED OUTFITS OPERATING UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES UNDERMINE STATE'S CREDIBILITY

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar said today that permitting proscribed outfits operating in the country under different names undermines the state’s credibility in the fight against terrorism and militancy.

“Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) was a reincarnation of Lashkar-i-Taiba (LT), and they were allowed to function due to a court order that was given,” said Babar while answering a query in the senate.

“The government has not yet provided me a copy of the court order that allowed JuD to operate, despite the passage of one month and an order by the chairman of the senate,” added Babar.

“This issue has again come to the forefront due to the recent comments made by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, in which he alleged that Pakistan has allowed some select groups to operate freely in the country,” said Babar.

“This has raised serious questions and misgivings about our intent and designs,” stated the senator.

The senator added further that questions were bound to arise when proscribed organisations are run under the guise of charity organisations.

“Are these so called charities allowed to function and serve as pressure groups which try to influence the elected government and the parliament, or are they meant to advance certain security and foreign policy goals as non-state actors,” questioned Babar.

Babar also said that given the impunity that is enjoyed by some of these groups, gives rise to the suspicion that they are protected by certain powerful forces.

Under Section 11-B, an organisation is proscribed if the federal government has reasons to believe that it is linked to terrorism. Under the law, the government can place an organisation under observation for six months if it is suspected of being involved in terrorist activities. The period can be extended only after providing the organisation an opportunity of being heard.

Earlier in July, the government had ruled out the possibility of proscribing Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) in the near future and said there was no evidence of the charity organisation having been formed in place of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

http://www.shiitenews.org/index.php/pakistan/item/18023-banned-outfits-operating-under-different-names-undermine-state-s-credibility-babar

SAUDI MILITARY ALLIANCE IS ANTI-IRAN, SAYS PPP SENATOR

Senator Farhatullah Babar of the Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday said it was becoming "apparent" that the Saudi Arabia-led military alliance, headed by former army chief Raheel Sharif, was against Iran.

"Now that the cat is out of the bag, will the government call [Sharif] back?" Babur asked, pointing out that one of the conditions of Sharif's appointment as head of the alliance was that he could be recalled at any time.
He further asked why the government had issued a no-objection certificate to Sharif before the alliance's Terms of Reference (ToRs) were finalised.
"The king of Saudi Arabia has said the alliance is against Iran," Rabbani said.
He wondered whether the government had disowned Sharif because the stance of the alliance towards Iran is contradictory to Pakistan's own relations with the neighbouring country.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani reiterated Babar's questions, asking whether the government had recalled the former Army chief.
"Has the government disowned Raheel Sharif?" the chairman asked, adding that the alliance's ToRs should be presented to Senate once they are unveiled.
Coming to the defence of the government, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the statement made by the Saudi king was a political one.
Regarding the ToRs of the alliance, Aziz said that they have not yet been finalised and neither has the purpose and jurisdiction of the alliance.
He added that the ToRs on Sharifs appointment to the military coalition have also yet to be finalised. Aziz assured the senator and the Senate chairman that once finalised, the ToRs will be presented before Parliament.
He also assured them that "the alliance will have no affect on Pakistan's policy," adding that it is not correct to say that that the coalition is against Iran.
"The alliance is focused on [combating] terrorism. It is unfortunate that Syria, Yemen and Iran are divided along sectarian lines. The Riyadh summit may have deepened those divides," he admitted.
Aziz added that the military alliance will make every effort for the unity of the Muslim world, adding that member nations will be free to opt out of any activity of the military if they chose to do so.

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"We were told that the alliance is against terrorism, but it appears it is against Iran," Babar said during a Senate session.
"Now that the cat is out of the bag, will the government call [Sharif] back?" Babur asked, pointing out that one of the conditions of Sharif's appointment as head of the alliance was that he could be recalled at any time.
He further asked why the government had issued a no-objection certificate to Sharif before the alliance's Terms of Reference (ToRs) were finalised.
"The king of Saudi Arabia has said the alliance is against Iran," Rabbani said.
He wondered whether the government had disowned Sharif because the stance of the alliance towards Iran is contradictory to Pakistan's own relations with the neighbouring country.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani reiterated Babar's questions, asking whether the government had recalled the former Army chief.
"Has the government disowned Raheel Sharif?" the chairman asked, adding that the alliance's ToRs should be presented to Senate once they are unveiled.
Coming to the defence of the government, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the statement made by the Saudi king was a political one.
Regarding the ToRs of the alliance, Aziz said that they have not yet been finalised and neither has the purpose and jurisdiction of the alliance.
He added that the ToRs on Sharifs appointment to the military coalition have also yet to be finalised. Aziz assured the senator and the Senate chairman that once finalised, the ToRs will be presented before Parliament.
He also assured them that "the alliance will have no affect on Pakistan's policy," adding that it is not correct to say that that the coalition is against Iran.
"The alliance is focused on [combating] terrorism. It is unfortunate that Syria, Yemen and Iran are divided along sectarian lines. The Riyadh summit may have deepened those divides," he admitted.
Aziz added that the military alliance will make every effort for the unity of the Muslim world, adding that member nations will be free to opt out of any activity of the military if they chose to do so.

http://www.shiitenews.org/index.php/pakistan/item/28868-saudi-military-alliance-is-anti-iran-says-ppp-senator

#Afghanistan - Protestors Call On Security Heads To Resign

Dozens of Kabul residents and civil society activists staged a demonstration close to Wednesday’s blast site and called on security heads, particularly the National Security Advisor, the head of the national directorate of security, the interior minister and the Kabul police chief, to resign from their posts.

Other demands included the immediate execution of Anas Haqqani, brother of Haqqani network’s leader.

President Ashraf Ghani meanwhile signed a decree on Thursday approving the execution by hanging of 11 members of Haqqani network and Taliban.

However, Anas Haqqani is not on the list. 

“We want the resignation of security heads, particularly the Kabul police chief, the NDS chief an the interview minister,” said Abdullah Rasuli, a civil society activist.

“We want changes in security apparatus. The main perpetrators of the attack must be identified and punished,” said Shahbaz Shahrukhi, a civil society activist. 

The protestors meanwhile criticized those who call the Taliban brothers.

“From Mr. (former president Hamid) Karzai to (Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin) Hekmatyar, all those who have called the Taliban brothers; can they call the Taliban brothers again?” asked Rahila Jafari, a civil society activist. 

“We (government) train the security forces for what purpose? Who are those who lose their lives? They are my sons your brother! Why there should be blood shedding in our soil?” said Abdul Farid Aryaee, a resident of Kabul.

This comes after the Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that it has suspended three police officers from their posts.

However, residents say the ‘symbolic moves’ are taken by government in order to silence criticisms and the people.

Concerns Raised Over How A Truck Bomb Reached Kabul City

Questions have been raised as to how the sewerage tanker used in Wednesday’s deadly truck bombing managed to reach the heart of Kabul city laden with explosives. 

The blast site is just a few hundred meters from the Presidential Palace and the CEO’s office and in the immediate vicinity of numerous embassies. 

TOLOnews journalist Karim Amini looks at the possible routes the truck could have taken and at how many checkpoints the driver would have had to pass. 

The explosion took place just after Zanbaq Circle – where between 25 and 30 routes converge, while each route leading to the circle has between two and five check points. 

As such, the fact that this truck managed to reach the heart of the city has raised concerns among the public and MPs. 

“The security in Kabul is ensured by human force; and we should change this type of security into a security which is maintained by using technological capabilities plus human capacity. It is needed for all over the (Kabul) city,” said Mirza Mohammad Yarmand, former deputy minister of interior.

“This shows the weakness, failure and irresponsibility of security forces and in general of our government,” said Assadullah Saadati, MP.

Meanwhile, military analysts slammed security institutions, the National Security Council and the National Directorate of Security for having failed to safeguard security in the city and said all bodies need to apologize to the public and leaders need to resign. 

“Government leaders should apologize from the people and should say that they cannot carry on. This is either their guts, their duty, their courage and it is the best option on the ground,” said Atiqullah Amarkhail, a former military official.

However, the Kabul Police Chief Hassan Shah Frogh termed such deadly attacks as normal.

”Such incidents are happening around the world; they are not in Afghanistan alone. Afghanistan is a country which has experienced thirty years of war.

Afghanistan is dealing with terrorism. The incident (in Kabul on Wednesday) is an incident which could have occurred and we cannot say that this was the last incident; and we cannot say that no incident will happen (in the future),” the police chief said in an interview with TOLOnews on Wednesday.

Clouds of third Afghan war?

By Imtiaz Gul

No words are enough to condemn the dastardly truck bombing in Kabul that took at least 80 lives and left hundreds wounded, some of them fatally.

The huge blast shook the Afghan capital at a time when the US is still weighing options as to whether sending more troops will contain and halt the spate of violence from the Taliban’s ‘Operation Mansoori’, although the insurgents denied their involvement in the abhorred incident.

The latest attack, preceded by a suicide bombing in Helmand with at least 18 casualties on May 27, underscores several bitter ground realities.

Firstly, these attacks expose the fragility of the security landscape. Regardless of the Taliban denial the bombing in the Green Zone does highlight the ability of militants – whether Taliban or Daesh – to strike even in the most guarded parts of the capital. Secondly, the surge in violence and shrinking government writ raise questions about the ability of the Afghan defence forces and security agencies.

In an April 8 report, the New York Times had spoken about a “widening gap between soldiers and commanders”. At the top, the paper quoted a senior official as saying, “is a class of often incompetent generals, many of them from the Communist or the civil war period who had strong political ties. The soldiers and police officers are treated as an “untouchable” class, dying at an average of close to 20 a day.”

This also drew negative comments by American officials. “We hear story after story of commanders who steal the fuel, sell it to the Taliban, who take the weapons we – you – pay for and sell it to the Taliban,” John Sopko, the United States special inspector general for Afghanistan, said in a recent speech. “The irony of it is, the terrorists are at the end of our supply chain.” Thirdly, the Afghan forces reel from corruption within the ranks, and are overshadowed by the phenomenon of ghost soldiers. In July 2016, the US military reported Afghan defence strength at 319,595. But the Associated Press agency quoted a high-level Afghan official as saying that the best internal estimate was around 120,000.

One supporting evidence came from the Helmand police chief, whom the AP quoted as saying that as many as 40 to 50 percent of the approximately 26,000 personnel assigned to the province did not exist when he asked for help during operations.

Much of the money appeared to be going into someone's bank account, according to the Startribune.com.

Sopko also reckoned that as much as $300 million in annual US salary payments to the Afghan National Police may be based on partly verified or un-reconciled data.

Fourth, geo-politics has begun to weigh heavier than ever before; the anti-terror Sunni Muslim-American summit - that singled out Iran as the biggest source of global terrorism and declared war on Daesh - has probably provided an additional impetus to the roughly 20 terrorist outfits that, according to President Ghani, are currently operating in and out of Afghanistan.

This declaration runs contrary to the Russian, Iranian, Chinese and Pakistani views on the Afghan situation.

Fifth, Afghan ruling elites still seem to be struggling to join forces to fend off terrorist and Taliban threats. The spiralling violence does not appear to have instilled a greater sense of unity within the Kabul ruling elites. This only emboldens all the non-state actors.

Sixth, the latest string of violence doesn't augur well for an internally divided government.

This also promoted the United States National Intelligence Agency to forecast a grim future in the months ahead.

"Afghan security forces' performance will probably worsen due to a combination of Taliban operations, combat casualties, desertions, poor logistics support and weak leadership," Dan Coats, director of National Intelligence, had warned during a recent hearing on Afghanistan at the Senate Armed Services Committee.

This situation makes it much more imperative for Afghanistan's immediate neighbours to also collectively pursue peace and reconciliation. That is why a lot of anxiety prevails ahead of the June 6 international conference in Kabul. 'Will concern for an embattled and extremely volatile Afghanistan trump geopolitics during this conference' is a billion-dollar question.

Although the situation is deteriorating, one would only hope that the Kabul gathering would put the fears of a third Afghan war to rest.

But, much more than the international actors, a lot depends on the Afghan leaders to jointly work for peace.

This is also clear from the words of a devout Afghan nationalist and rights' activist. "I've no doubts anymore. Much of Afghan conflict is internal & bad governance & injustices driving us all towards uncertainty &we switch sides," the activist recently wrote on the micro-blogging website Twitter, unlike her previous views which usually focused on Pakistan as the sole source of instability in her country.

Pakistan - Shrinking space for freedom of expression

By Zahid Abdullah

Recent onslaught against freedom of expression on social media should be seen in the context of lack of respect for diversity that we manifest both as individuals and as institutions. We manage financial bankruptcy with borrowed funds and intellectual bankruptcy with borrowed wisdom.

Ever since Pakistan came into being, we have been using both kind of borrowing as a stop-gap arrangement without taking steps to ensure self-reliance in either economic or intellectual domain. We have democracy with all its attendant paraphernalia i.e. constitution, political parties, elections, assemblies and their committees etc. but democratic norms are missing.

We do not have to go far off, in fact, we just have to look at our own homes to see how we treat women. How is the news of the birth of a baby girl taken by the parents and the family? Haven't we seen ‘democrats’ ganging up to disallow women to cast their votes? One of the essentials of democracy is diversity of opinions which should not only be respected but also protected. Forget about higher standards set by people like Beatrice Evelyn Hall who in a book about the French philosopher Voltaire wrote: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. We do not accept human diversity let alone acknowledging the right of people to express diverse opinions.

The range of social groups both the state and the society treat as sub-humans is mind-boggling. Where do women, people with disabilities, ethnic and religious minorities stand in terms of exercising basic freedoms and to what extent do these groups exercise power on their own lives? What to talk about enjoying basic freedoms and exercising power on their own lives, when prevailing notions about their very existence in the cosmic scheme of things is in conflict with dictates of basic human rights.

We do not have to go far off, in fact, we just have to look at our own homes and see how we treat women. How is the news of the birth of a baby girl taken by the parents and the family? Haven’t we seen ‘democrats’ ganging up to disallow women to cast their votes? Disability is considered to be a punishment, inflicted upon the offspring for the sins committed by the parents, their forefathers or the society.

Those who never get tired of condemning collective punishment meted out to Kashmiris and Palestinians find FCR and the concept of collective punishment appropriate for those living in FATA. This mindset that defines status of the disabled, women, ethnic and religious minorities defines what hate speech is. This mindset is in direct conflict with our international commitments. Just to give two examples, Pakistan is party to UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and International Convent on Civil and Political Rights. In other words, the state of Pakistan has subscribed to accumulated wisdom of humanity as to how to ensure rights of its citizens but it has not taken steps to change the mindset that manifests itself in our laws, customs and social structures which leads to denial of basic freedoms to vulnerable groups.

Politicians were supposed to be the part of the solution but ironically, they have become part of the problem when it comes to freedom of expression. As they continue marching on the drum-beat of democracy, politicians through their words and actions are contributing to the shrinking of civic spaces at their own peril. Xenophobic trends and the discontent with globalization, which have contributed to recent global developments like Brexit and the rise of Donald Trump in the United States, has set in motion a process which is not only going to be restricting civic, political and economic rights of the vulnerable in Western countries but is also going to be detrimental to such causes in countries like Pakistan.

We should continue raising voices for our civic rights. It is also important that we engage politicians for they are our only best bet in this ongoing saga of the right to hold and express opinions without fear.

We need to engage political parties in changing the mindset that does not let us respect human diversity. If we are able to develop genuine respect for human diversity, we will be able to develop respect for diverse opinions. Politicians need to understand that social media is there to stay and curbing voices of the people in digital spaces is in itself self-defeating because of the very nature of the medium. Conducting business of politics has become next to impossible without social media.

Politicians will eventually realize that they can themselves become victims of restrictions they are imposing on use of social media at the hand of forces that have actually been dictating the extent to which citizens may exercise basic freedoms before the dawn of social media.

Sushma Swaraj offers to help ailing infant from Pakistan

India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has offered help to a Pakistani man who highlighted his two and a half-month-old infant's health condition on the social media.

Swaraj’s assurance came after the child’s father brought the matter to her notice on Twitter.

“The child will not suffer. Please contact Indian High Commission in Pakistan. We will give the medical visa,” she said.

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No. The child will not suffer. Pls contact Indian High Commission in Pakistan. We will give the medical visa.pic.twitter.com/4ADWkFV6Ht

1:34 PM - 31 May 2017

 
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Sushma Swaraj's gesture comes days after she helped rescue through the Indian mission in Islamabad an Indian woman who was forced to marry a Pakistani.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/207996-Sushma-Swaraj-offers-to-help-ailing-infant-from-Pakistan