The DRU report has further informed that 350 dengue patients are being treated in different hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the moment.
http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/408215-Dengue-in-Peshawar-kills-one-more,-death-toll-reaches-42
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
#China - #LasVegas - #US mass shootings reveal vicious cycle
The deadliest mass shooting in modern US history happened in Las Vegas at an outdoor concert event on October 1. The 64-year-old gunman, Stephen Paddock, opened fire on the crowd of concert-goers below from his room on the 32nd floor at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. It was reported that at least 58 people had been killed while more than 500 were injured. Police confirmed the attacker shot himself dead. Early on police had initiated search efforts to find Paddock's female companion, and later confirmed she was not a suspect, nor involved with the tragedy.
Early reports surfaced that ISIS had claimed responsibility for the attack, but FBI said "no connection" had been established between the shooter and any international terrorist group. Regardless or not of any connection to terrorism, the tragic event has shocked the US and the world over. The death toll so far has surpassed the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, making it the largest mass shooting in US history.
The cycle of mass shootings continues to repeat itself in the US. Every time a tragedy like this happens, it exposes a fundamental flaw that continues to plague the country's government. Just like the previous mass shootings, public response in the wake of the aftermath will follow the same narrative. US politicians will deliver emotional and heartfelt speeches condemning the tragedy, and public opinion will call for tighter gun control laws. However, as time passes, US society will continue to stumble along doing anything it can to avoid addressing the issue of gun control, which continues to be one of its most serious problems ever.
It seems that the issue of gun control is a never ending source of debate in the US, thus preventing lawmakers from implementing gun control measures of any kind.
The US leads Europe in the frequency and fatalities of its mass shootings that occur within its borders. Meanwhile, the US has always maintained a "let it slide" attitude, a stance that continues to shock the world. The current situation is not a byproduct of indifference from US citizens regarding the loss of innocent lives that mass shootings claim, but rather the result of a system lacking firm or confident force required to reform its gun laws. With powerful forces against gun control, including lobbyist groups and deep-rooted tradition, improving America's gun laws would be just as impossible as prohibiting alcohol in Russia.
It is difficult to comprehend the sharp contrasts displayed by US behavior as it bounces from horrifying reactions over acts of terror only to slip into its typical attitude of "let-it-go" numbness over mass shootings. It does not matter if a shooting incident is connected to terrorism because the end result involves the loss of innocent lives. The fact that US society chooses to tolerate mass shootings is a manifestation of national and state political influence, along with prevailing public opinions.
In the eyes of the world, the US has failed to set an example as it repeatedly ignores its gun control issues, failing to take any initiative whatsoever. It seems as if a hierarchy of sort is in place, a multi-layered system that has its own standards when it comes to addressing gun issues. The US system has a way of diverting public attention to issues like the threat of international terrorism, while at the same, downplaying domestic issues that involve gun control laws and a need for better social governance.
Any observer can plainly see the cracks that have emerged within the government systems of the US. It tries to cope with the insurmountable task of implementing necessary reform, always in hesitation mode and unable to make a decision. It stares at the face of its mass shooting tragedies, entwining itself within the dilemma it cannot resolve, spiraling out of control in a cycle of shock and tolerance, over and over again.
At least 50 lives were lost in Las Vegas as a result of the US government's failure and inability to handle its mass shooting epidemic. Official US statistics indicate that the total number of people killed every year by guns stands at around 30,000. How many more lives will be lost before the US government will wake up and take the issue seriously? It is sincerely hoped that the US will have the fortitude to improve its gun laws sooner rather than later.
THE LEAST CONGRESS CAN DO: BAN THIS MONSTROSITY
Three days after one of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, lawmakers in Congress are calling for a new, narrowly-tailored regulation aimed at helping prevent such a massacre from occurring in the future.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a long-time advocate of the assault weapons ban, on Wednesday introduced a bill that would ban the sale and possession of bump stock equipment that was used by the shooter in Las Vegas, Nevada, who killed at least 58 people and injured over 500 others at a country music festival on Sunday.
So-called “bump stocks” essentially turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic one, allowing one to circumvent the federal laws that strictly regulate automatic firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the shooter in Las Vegas had supplemented 12 firearms with bump stocks, allowing him to fire into the crowd of 22,000 people at a faster rate.
“I know what guns can do. This is taking it into war,” Feinstein told reporters on Wednesday.
The California Democrat revealed that her daughter had initially planned on attending the Route 91 country music festival with her friends, but that she had ultimately changed her mind.
“That’s how close it came to me,” Feinstein said at a press conference.
The bill, titled the Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act, would go into effect 180 days after its passage. It currently has 26 co-sponsors, but no Republican support. Feinstein said Wednesday she planned on speaking to her GOP colleagues about the legislation this week.
“I know what guns can do. This is taking it into war.”Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Republicans have generally resisted legislative efforts on gun control, with some even arguing there was no point in government making the attempt. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday said it was “inappropriate to politicize” an event like the Las Vegas shooting, arguing it is “entirely premature to be discussing legislative solutions, if any,” while an investigation is still underway.
The effort to ban bump stocks gained steam Wednesday, however, after Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) also said Congress ought to hold a hearing to examine bump stocks.
Many Senate GOPers on Wednesday said they were unfamiliar with bump stocks and needed more time to research their use and effects. Some senators, however, said they were interested in at least considering legislation seeking to regulate the firearm modifications.
“I’ll look at it for sure,” Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) said. “You can’t buy a chain-fed machine gun in the United States today. There’s a reason for that. And I want to make sure that nobody has access to that if that’s the law of the land.”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said the issue of bump stocks is “something we need to take a look at.” He did not, however, say whether he would support Feinstein’s bill.
Even some House Republicans said they’d be willing to talk about banning bump stocks. Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) told The Wall Street Journal, for example, that “anything that would try to make it an automatic weapon would need greater scrutiny.”
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) went further than most of his GOP colleagues on Wednesday, telling reporters he would be in favor of banning bump stocks.
“I have no problem banning those,” he said.
Still, any effort at regulating guns would face tough odds in a Republican-controlled Congress. Some GOP senators say they oppose any efforts to regulate guns ― even narrowly tailored legislation banning bump stocks. “I’m a Second Amendment man, I’m not for any gun control, OK? None,” Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said Wednesday, when asked if he could support legislation regulating bump stocks.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) was even more adamant about the effort.
“I don’t think we ought to punish 80 to 90 million gun owners who have a right to own a weapon under the Constitution because of the act of one idiot,” he said. “Just like I don’t think we ought to condemn all Muslims because of the act of one jihadist.” Feinstein said Wednesday at her press conference that she was undaunted by the lack of congressional action after multiple mass shootings over the years.
“Why can’t we stop this?” she asked. “Why can’t we keep a weapon from becoming a military battlefield weapon? I have to stand up. I have to fight.”
Dengue in Peshawar kills one more, death toll reaches 42
Dengue fever has Wednesday killed one more person in Peshawar, and the death toll owing to the fatal disease has reached 42.
According to details, 51-year-old Pervez who was resident of Tehkal Payan was admitted to Khyber Teaching Hospital where he could not survive.
The Dengue Response Unit (DRU) has reported that blood samples of 1679 persons were taken in last 24 hours. Out of these, 351 patients have been tested positive and 123 are admitted to hospitals.
Afghanistan - UN claims thousands fled their homes in past week
The United Nation office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has said that more than 266,087 people left their homes because of ongoing clashed among government and different armed groups in Afghanistan.
The UN reported claimed that 1,750 people recently left their homes due to heavy armed clashes in Shinwari and Sia Gird district of Parwan province in the past week.
Similarly, around 1,000 people were displaced from Alishang District, Laghman due to poor law and order situation in the area and it was also in the last week.
The report added that a total of 878 spontaneous returnees and 21 deportees arrived in Afghanistan from Pakistan from 17 to 23 September and around, 6,592 people returned spontaneously, and 6,539 were deported from Iran.
During the past week, more than 47,000 displaced people, undocumented returnees and refugees received some form of humanitarian assistance in all regions of the country.
#Pakistan - Eroding democratic values
By Zahid Hussain
The controversial amendment in the election laws may have allowed Nawaz Sharif to retain the leadership of his party, but it has further dented democratic values. The government bulldozed the bill through, with a fractious opposition failing to block it despite its majority in the Senate.
Surely the government seemed to be in a big hurry to accord political legitimacy to the disgraced former prime minister who is facing indictment on a litany of corruption charges. Where the PML-N is concerned, he is back in the saddle running the ruling party in defiance of the Supreme Court ruling.
Indeed, Sharif’s re-crowning will help maintain a façade of unity within the party ranks and prevent the possibility of the leadership passing to the other branch of his family’s political dynasty. But can this also win him moral legitimacy? Just holding on to the party leadership will not clear him of the charges he is facing in a court of law.
The way the government railroaded the bill through parliament does not augur well for democracy.
Most worrying is that this person-specific amendment in the law and the manner in which it was railroaded has further eroded democratic norms. Now anyone condemned by a court of law can form and lead a political party. Ironically, a person barred from holding public office can still be kingmaker and continue to run the government through proxies.
Apparently, the reason behind this hasty passage of the amendment was to bring the courts under pressure. But the move may not work. Instead, it may trigger yet another round of legal battle as the amendment has already been challenged in the courts. Undoubtedly, the military-led government of Pervez Musharraf used the law for its own ulterior motive of preventing Benazir Bhutto from leading the PPP. But, in this case, the objective of striking it down was certainly not to correct an unfair move; it was to benefit a disqualified leader. It also exposes the absence of a democratic culture within our political parties that have increasingly become family fiefdoms and a tool for the protection of the interests of a few. Democracy draws its strength from the rule of law and not from defying it. Democracy can work effectively only if political parties are able to censure their leaders for their wrongdoings and not wait for the court to decide their fate. But it is completely opposite in the case of Pakistan where those facing corruption charges continue to hold high office and are eulogised by their supporters. For instance, how can a man indicted for money laundering remain in charge of the country’s economy and finances? One can argue that Ishaq Dar has still not been convicted; one can even question the fairness of the trial. But would it not be better for him to step aside until he is cleared of the charges?
For sure, a tainted finance minister cannot fulfil his responsibilities effectively in running an economy that seems to be in free fall. Foreign exchange reserves are depleting at an alarming rate with falling remittances and declining exports. The record balance-of-payment deficit has made it almost inevitable that the government will return to the IMF. The debt burden is becoming untenable. It will be a serious problem for a finance minister under trial to negotiate with multilateral agencies. For months now, the finance ministry has been in a state of paralysis. The government, which is preoccupied with the political rehabilitation of the former prime minister, is fast losing its governing space. The clash among institutions has made the situation extremely chaotic. The bizarre incident outside the accountability court on Monday during the appearance of the former prime minister is quite ominous. The controversy over the deployment of the Rangers reflects an anarchic situation.
It is, indeed, a serious issue that the interior minister did not know who called the Rangers. The situation turned weirder still when Ahsan Iqbal was stopped from entering the court premises. Surely the Rangers did not come there without orders from somewhere. His public outburst and remarks about a state within a state demonstrated his helplessness.
It is certainly not a good omen for the government. The incident reinforces the perception about the government’s shrinking governing space while it is focused more on defending the ousted prime minister and his family. It is not enough to shout from the rooftop about the ‘invisible hand’. It is the governance, stupid. We have already seen the establishment gaining greater space.
Nawaz Sharif has called for a grand national dialogue among political parties. One cannot disagree with the proposal. There is, indeed, a serious need for the main political parties to come to an agreement on some kind of framework to strengthen the democratic process. But Sharif’s call may have come too late and at a time when he has been disqualified for not being honest and is facing trial. That makes the other political parties suspicious of his intent. There is scepticism that it is all about him being bailed out of his plight.
Sharif had a great opportunity to strengthen the institutionalised democratic process over the last four years. Instead, he rendered parliament ineffective and weakened other civilian institutions thus allowing nonelected elements to expand their space. He established his personalised rule with the help of close family members. Even the cabinet seldom met and was virtually turned into a rubber stamp. His current confrontational approach towards the judiciary will not inspire other political parties to gather.
Surely there is a need for a charter of democracy or grand national dialogue to establish civilian supremacy and remove the existing imbalance of power that has allowed non-elected institutions to undermine elected civilian governments. But personalised power is not an alternative for civilian supremacy. Democracy is not limited to winning the electoral mandate, it also means implementing the rule of law and democratic accountability. One wishes that Nawaz Sharif understood this.
More importantly, there is a need for an economic charter among political parties to guarantee the continuity of economic policies irrespective of whichever party is in power. Perhaps, this will become possible after the elections.
Pakistan - PTI’s quest for opposition leadership
By Nadir Nabil Gabol
After the ouster of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif – the Leader of the House in the National Assembly – the office of the Leader of the Opposition seems to be the next target of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Last month, the party had reached out to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which was once labelled by PTI chief Imran Khan as a terrorist organisation as well as a tool being used by India’s Research and Analysis Wing to disintegrate Pakistan. Thus, Khan has once again proved to be the master of U-turns by considering an alliance with the MQM.
It wasn’t too long ago that Imran Khan was terming the current National Assembly as a mere farce. This was during his party’s campaign on alleged rigging in 2013 elections. Because the assembly had been constituted as a result of a rigged election, Khan had held, it could not be seen as representing the will of the Pakistani people. Why is he so desperate to clinch the position of the Opposition Leader now, even if it means aligning his party with MQM and tarnishing his credibility as a result? Must one remind him that it was the PPP and Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah who played a pivotal role in bringing the PTI back to the Assembly at a time when Imran had brought the party to the brink of resignations?
The opposition leader will be involved in deliberations leading to the formation of the interim government before next year’s elections. Zardari will never allow Khan to gain an upper hand in parliamentary politics by taking away this office from the PPP
The credit for the ouster of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should still go to the PTI. There’s no doubt that the PTI, through the Panama Papers case, had enabled the Supreme Court to set a precedent in Pakistan’s history and disqualify Sharif for life. It was only after Imran Khan’s threats of another dharna that Nawaz Sharif presented himself for accountability. In hindsight, that decision may come across as a bad and a miscalculated move from Sharif’s perspective. After Sharif’s disqualification, Khan proudly proclaimed that he would next go after Asif Ali Zardari. Hence, he is challenging Zardari by trying to snatch the office of the Leader of Opposition from the PPP. But the PTI chief fails to recognise that Zardari is an expert at maneuvering and cooperation.
The battle for the Leader of the Opposition’s slot is important because the office will play a key role in many decisions to be taken ahead of next year’s general elections. The office is involved in deliberations leading to the formation of the interim government. The crucial appointments of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and Chief Election Commissioner also require input from the Opposition Leader. Zardari will never allow Khan to gain an upper hand in parliamentary politics by taking away this office from the PPP.
Imran Khan has proved to be far weaker and inexperienced in parliamentary politics compared to Zardari. Protests and media campaigns alone won’t help Khan in taking over the Opposition Leader’s office. He will need votes in the House. It is a game of numbers and the odds are stacked against Imran Khan. The PPP has 47 MNAs and is likely to take the tally up to 50 with the support of the Awami National Party (ANP) and Aftab Sherpao. Though, MNAs from the PTI and the MQM will add up to 56 but it’s possible that some members of these parties may refrain from voting. PTI’s Aisha Gulalai has recently dissented and may not cast her vote for a PTI candidate. Similarly, several MQM members may also abstain from voting. The PTI will also need to rely on other opposition parties. Jamaat-i-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Qaumi Watan Party have already refused to vote for PTI.
It seems fairly obvious that Nawaz Sharif would rather have a PPP-led opposition in the House than that led by the PTI. Thus, he may count on allies like Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-F or Jatoi’s NPP to neutralise Imran Khan’s quest.
Imran Khan has certainly scored a major political victory by having Nawaz Sharif removed from the PM’s Office. But, that has not converted into any electoral advantage in the NA-120 by-poll. Now, he has taken a major risk by joining hands with the MQM in his bid to challenge Zardari. And by doing he seems to have let down his party workers in Karachi who’re opposed to the move to ally with the MQM. The only way he can justify this move is by clinching the seat of the Leader of the Opposition. However, that remains quite unlikely.
Balochistan, poverty and rule of law
By Durdana Najam
A nation born from the womb of ethnic discord was liable to suffer from its inflictions left over in the wake of partition. A time had come in the history of Balochistan when the Punjabis were driven out of the province just as there had come a time when the Shias from Hazara community were targeted by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a radical Sunni organization. At another time a segment of native Baloch stepped up their drive to part ways with Pakistan. Five military operations had been carried out since to quell this separatism. Pakistan army is heavily deployed in the province and arguably has a say in the political decision-making process. Though things have been brought under control and with CPEC promising a better future to the region, in particular with the development of Gwadar, a general antagonism is still evident in the people of Balochistan owing to persistent poverty.
Presently the malnutrition rate is increasingly high in Balochistan. This was revealed by the World Food Program in its press release issued on the occasion of the signing a new programme with the provincial government’s Planning and Development to prevent stunting among children in Pishin district of Balochistan. The aim of the programme is to break the inter-generational cycle of stunting and malnutrition across Pishin.
According to the figures shared by WFP, half of all children under five are stunted, and 16 per cent of Balochistan’s population is malnourished. Adding on to this stressful situation is the fact that 70 per cent of children and three-quarter pregnant and breastfeeding women are anaemic. “Four out of five households in Balochistan cannot afford a minimally nutritious diet,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Pakistan, Finbarr Curran.
A more stunning and self-revealing statement came from Mr Baseer Khan Achakzai, Director Nutrition, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, who said: “One of the reasons for stunting and wasting among our children is that their parents are sometimes not able to provide them with a nutritious, balanced diet,” When parents are not able to provide a nutritious and balanced diet to their children, it means the parents themselves are not getting enough food. This persistent and pervasive poverty is alarming, and Pishin like many districts of Balochistan is fighting his calamity since as many years.
Balochistan is mired in poverty, and its economy depends entirely on agriculture still the government allocated only Rs 8 billion for agriculture, in the 2017-18 annual budgets but allocated a hefty Rs 35 billion on law and order. For health, Rs 16 billion was stashed aside. With such spending priorities, neither poverty nor health issues can be adequately addressed. Have we forgotten the story of the people of Sui in Balochistan who had been kept deprived of gas while it was transported across the country? The situation has not changed much, though. Balochistan fulfil 40 per cent of Pakistan’s energy needs and 36 per cent of its gas production along with minerals. Yet 46.6 per cent of households in Balochistan have no electricity and only 25 per cent of villages have rural electrification. Pakistan is fast becoming an urbanized country with 40 per cent urbanization but 75 per cent of Balochistan population remains rural.
Maybe it is in the DNA of self-styled democratic government to keep its population busy in making their ends meet. Instead of putting governance as its top political agenda, to frustrate the designs of the international establishment, and the separatists seeking independence, the political structure developed for the province has been kept hostage to the greed and avarice of the landlords, Nawabs and a non-performing government. Last year the National Accountability Bureau recovered Rs 730 million from the home of the Finance Secretary Balochistan, Mushtaq Ahmed Raisani. This is just one example.
Why is it that Pakistan does not do to make itself sustainable? Pakistan is perhaps averse to invest in governance, the reason why institutions have been deliberately kept weak. When the parliamentarians claim to achieve power through the strength of the vote, it becomes their moral responsibility to deliver. The Panama papers have revealed many dark sides of this moral responsibility, taken as a liberty by the elected representatives to increase their fortune. Either the leaders can multiply their assets, or they can improve the quality of life of their voters. Ours went for the former, and we have the worst example of poverty, malnutrition, and underdevelopment in the name of Balochistan that comprises 40 per cent of Pakistan’s area and a 900-kilomtere coastline.
In his recent address to the youths of Balochistan, General Bajwa, the Chief of the Army Staff, said that Pakistan was incomplete without Balochistan. Absolutely true, but the stability of Balochistan depends on the rights given to its people rather than the state resorting to silencing the dissenting voices through policy of suppression.
Though Pakistan is still moving in the circle of identifying and getting rid of its corrupt leadership, time would arrive when this jinx will break and real issues, concerning people will be acted upon. Even if it is the China Pakistan Economic Corridor that has brought Balochistan into the mainstream, the fact, that the meaning of life will change for the Baloch is fast becoming a reality.
Pakistan - Bilawal for more minorities MPs
CHAIRMAN of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has reportedly issued instructions to his Party to make special arrangements so that after the 2018 general election there is ample representation of religious minorities in the National and Provincial Assemblies on behalf of the Party. The Party also has constituted a high-powered Committee with representation from Christians, Hindus and Sikhs to resolve their issues in Sindh province.
Indeed the PPP has always tried to prove true to its liberal and progressive face and this is the reason we often see the PPP Chairman or Co-chairman and other Party leaders attending and fully participating in the religious festivals of different faiths. At a time when we are talking about promoting greater harmony and solidarity in our ranks to confront the challenges facing the country, such a posture from our political leadership indeed is a step in the right direction to promote much needed interfaith harmony in our society. Therefore, the suggestion by Bilawal Bhutto to increase representation of minorities in Parliament is also welcomed and we expect that other political parties will also follow the suit and give more tickets to the minority candidates so that after their election, they could effectively highlight their problems in Parliament and get their problems addressed.
By doing so, we will also be fulfilling the commitment of founding father Quaid-i-Azam who on different occasions made it very clear that the minorities will enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizen of the country. If we also look towards the role played by minorities especially the Christians in the development of education sector, it is commendable and unmatchable and we understand if provided with right kind of opportunities, they can prove to be a real asset to take forward the country in different disciplines.
Though present government has done some good work including that of establishing a National Commission on Minorities and passing a Hindu Marriage Bill 2016 but still a lot more needs to be done to improve their lot and we expect that the Committee established by the PPP will also take immediate steps to address grievances of minorities regarding forced conversions in Sindh. We understand that by granting due rights to minorities, we will also be able to project a soft and positive image of the country in the comity of nations.
https://pakobserver.net/bilawal-minorities-mps/
Pakistan - Law amended only to make one person party president
Leader of the Opposition in the National AssemblyKhursheed Shah said on Tuesday that a law was amended just to make one person president of a party, in an apparent reference to the newly-introduced Elections Bill 2017, under which Nawaz Sharif got re-elected Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president.
The Pakistan Peoples Party leader was speaking to media in his chambers.
Shah, while criticising the role of the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, said that an investigation should be launched regarding the role of the two parties in relation to the passing of the bill from the Senate.
Shah said that despite contacting the PTI thrice, it did not suggest the name for the post of chairman of the National Accountability Bureau.
“If they don’t suggest a name, I cannot keep on waiting,” he said.
The opposition leader said that the selection of the chairman NAB will be done before October 8, adding that he would meet Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi today in this regard.
Bilawal Bhutto chairs meeting of PPP Sindh leaders at Bilawal House
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari chaired a meeting at Bilawal House today.
