Tuesday, November 10, 2020
In Pakistan, feminist revenge drama ‘Witches’ sparks outrage following online debut
The Return of Militancy in Pakistan
After a few years of relative peace, militant groups are on the rise again – and at a dangerous time for Pakistan.
Pakistan has enjoyed comparative peace over the past few years, other than sporadic incidents. Following a devastating attack on a school in Peshawar in 2014, the state cracked down on religious and other banned militant outfits under the National Action Plan (NAP), the country’s 20-point counterterrorism strategy. This offensive pushed such groups back into hiding, temporarily disrupting their networks. As a result, the country’s major cities have been largely immune to militancy.
An October 27 IED blast at a religious school in Peshawar, in which eight young people died and more than 110 were injured, has disrupted that peace.
It is believed that Sheikh Rahimuddin Haqqani, a Afghan cleric originally from Jalalabad, in Afghanistan, was the target. He was taking a class in the religious school where the explosion took place. He was the target of suspected elements of the Islamic State in a gun attack in 2016. He escaped safely back then, as he did this time, protected by his young security guards from the religious school.
Close to the Afghan border in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Peshawar has witnessed some of the worst violence of the last two decades, since the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001. The most horrific and horrendous attack was the 2014 incident in which Taliban gunmen stormed a military school. By the end, 150 were dead, most of them children. The attack shook the conscience of the world, and provoked Pakistan’s security forces to take a sterner approach under NAP, which was formulated in the aftermath of the tragedy. The NAP called for the military to go after banned outfits of all sorts, including religious and nationalist groups often believed to be implicitly backed by Pakistani authorities. The strategy provided a brief calm, but now once again Peshawar has been hit, allegedly by religious militants.
Unfortunately, the Peshawar blast was followed a motorcycle blast in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan in the southwest of Pakistan. As a result of the blast, three people reportedly were killed and over a dozen injured. Worryingly, the blast occurred in the outskirts of Quetta as opposition leaders of the country’s major political parties were present in the city, addressing tens of thousands people in a bid to mount pressure on the government.
In Pakistan, the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) – now merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province – have long been the major source of militancy, which eventually evolved into a threat to the state itself. Over the past five years, the security forces have carried out major operations against Taliban-linked groups, flushing them out of the tribal areas. Since then, other than sporadic attacks, these groups have been biding their time, but are now gathering momentum once again – this time with the addition of the Islamic State (IS) to the list of groups carrying out attacks. Reports suggest the militant groups have managed to regroup, despite being weakened by the intelligence-based operations.
The current wave of attacks is taking place at a crucial time, when the major opposition political parties are in the streets protesting against the government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Other than political uncertainty, Pakistan is increasingly faced with financial woes, which have only gotten worse in recent years. In Pakistan, China has become the dominant investor under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). But since Khan came to office in 2018, Chinese investors have been discouraged by the government’s inexperience, especially in economic management. Recently, the Chinese have returned, reviving the multibillion-dollar CPEC projects after some delays.
In order to attract investments and economic development, Pakistan’s government has to ensure the safety and stability of the country. In that regard, some analysts have pointed out a curious coincidence: The resurgence of religious-cum-sectarian attacks has been taking place exactly as the CPEC has been revived in the country after quite some time on the backburner. Baloch militant groups have been opposed to CPEC from day one, and have been carrying out attacks in Gwadar – the heart of the CPEC – and elsewhere in the country in order to show their opposition.
The Chinese, despite their heavy investments, are concerned about the security situation. Militant groups, including banned religious outfits, have carried out attacks against Chinese workers and installations in the past. Now they have to worry that the revival of CPEC projects has gone hand-in-hand with the recent upsurge of militancy in various parts of the country. Already, Baloch separatists have carried out major attacks against Chinese workers and installations in Balochistan province, as well as in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh.
Pakistan’s security-centered approach has failed to stop such attacks, which are detrimental to Chinese investments. So the government has shifted course with the announcement of the South Balochistan Package, meant to generate jobs and other economic opportunities in the area. Officials believe that, through this effort, Baloch youth can be dissuaded from joining the rank and file of the separatists in Balochistan. But realities on the ground suggest otherwise. A political question cannot be resolved through economic policy alone.
Meanwhile, along with terrorism, sectarianism between Shia and Sunni groups is also rearing its head in various parts of the country. As seen in the past, sloganeering can trigger sectarian violence, which has already claimed thousands of lives in Pakistan. Keeping in view the recent sectarian developments in the country, Pakistan could slip into sectarian chaos anytime. Since policymakers have not learnt any lessons from the past, it keeps on repeating, with dire consequences for the state and its people. Among other problems, major political parties are not giving serious attention to recent sectarian tensions: either they are complicit or they are too afraid to speak out about it.
Militancy has returned to Pakistan after a brief hiatus. If it is not dealt with, it could initiate a new cycle of violence, engulfing the peace and prosperity of the country and the region as a whole.
https://thediplomat.com/2020/11/the-return-of-militancy-in-pakistan/
Several localities in #Lahore, #Pindi, #Multan go under lockdown amid #Covid-19 spike
Several localities in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan have been declared as coronavirus hotspots and put under lockdown with immediate effect, according to notifications from the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department released late Monday, after 400 new cases were reported province wide for the first time since July 18.
The notifications said there had been a "constant increase in positivity percentage and prevalence of Covid-19 in the province of Punjab during the last two weeks which poses a serious and imminent threat to public health", adding that all possible measures needed to be taken to control the spread of the virus.
According to the notifications, following areas in the three cities were put under lockdown "with immediate effect" until November 19:
Lahore:
- New Muslim Town
- Raza, Sikandar and Umar blocks of Iqbal Town
- Certain blocks in Garden Town
- Cavalary Ground
- DHA Phase 1 (AA Block)
- DHA Phase 6 (L Sector, A Sector)
- Askari 11
- Anarkali
- Mozang
- Shadman
- Certain parts of Gulshan-i-Ravi
Rawalpindi:
- Fauji Foundation University, New Lalazar
- Government Girls Highschool, Kahuta
- Satellite Town
- Abbasi Abad
Multan:
- Naqshband Colony
- Gulgasht Colony/ Khairabad
- Mepco Colony
- Khwajabad/ Multan Kacheri
- Sadat Colony
Grocery stores, fruit and vegetable shops, tandoors and petrol pumps would be allowed to remain open between 9am and 7pm on all days of the week. Milk shops, fish and meat shops, and bakeries would be allowed to open from 7am to 7pm. All medical services, including hospitals, clinics and pharmacies would remain open 24 hours a day, the notification said.
The measures come as Punjab reported more than 400 daily cases on Tuesday for the first time since July. The government's coronavirus portal showed the province recorded 407 new infections in the last 24 hours, taking its total to 107,329. The province last reported more than 400 cases on July 18, when it confirmed 442 infections.
According to the official figures, from July 21 to Oct 23, Lahore had been reporting less than 100 daily cases. Since Oct 24, however, the city has been reporting over a 100 cases and on Monday, accounted for 174 out of the total 345 new cases in Punjab.
Of the total new cases in the province yesterday, 50 tested positive for the virus in Multan and 41 in Rawalpindi.
Others were reported from DG Khan, Narowal, Sialkot, Gujrat, Sargodha, Mianwali, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Faisalabad, Lodhran, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur, Okara, Toba Tek Singh, Mandi Bahauddin, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari, Khushab, Jhang and Chiniot.
Meanwhile, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Monday observed that the Covid-19 positivity ratio is rapidly increasing in major cities, with the rate exceeding 15 per cent in at least three cities across the country.
Multan had the second highest positivity rate across the country at 15.97 per cent, behind only Hyderabad at 16.59pc. Lahore (5.37pc) and Rawalpindi (4.63pc) were also declared among the top 15 cities with the highest positivity ratios.
Separately, a special meeting of the Cabinet Committee for Anti-Corona held at Chief Minister’s Office took notice of the violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) in markets and businesses and decided to shut down all such places.
Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid said there is an ample stock of essential medicines and PPEs.
"The health department will buy more PCR kits for tests," she claimed.
Industries Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal said every necessary measure would be taken to control the second wave of coronavirus in the province, according to a report by Radio Pakistan.
The meeting also decided to declare the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology as a dedicated hospital for treating coronavirus patients.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1589639/several-localities-in-lahore-pindi-multan-go-under-lockdown-amid-covid-spike
Medical Report in #Pakistan Proves Arzoo Raja Is A Minor
According to local reports, a medical board in Pakistan found that Arzoo Raja, a 13-year-old Christian girl abducted and married by her 44-year-old Muslim neighbor, is no more than 14-years-old. This finding supports Arzoo’s birth and baptism certificates submitted to the court by Arzoo’s parents in October.
On October 13, Arzoo was abducted from her family home in Karachi by Ali Azhar, her Muslim neighbor. Arzoo’s parents reported the incident to local police and were informed two days later that their daughter had converted to Islam and married Azhar.
Arzoo’s parents challenged the validity of the marriage claiming it violated the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act. However, on October 27, the Sindh High Court ruled in favor of the marriage and order local police to protect Arzoo and Azhar.
On November 2, police were ordered by the Sindh High Court to recover Arzoo and arrest Azhar. This came after Pakistan’s Minister for Human Rights became involved in the case as an intervener. Arzoo was taken to a women’s shelter and Azhar was arrested.
On November 5, Arzoo appeared before the Sindh High Court. In this appearance, Arzoo stated she was 18-years-old and married Azhar of her own free will. She went on to say she was not abducted and converted to Islam by her choice. Following this hearing, the Sindh High Court ordered a medical board to examine Arzoo and determine her age.
As the findings of the medical board were announced in court today, Arzoo once again stated she wanted the court to release her to her ‘husband’ and that she had married Azhar of her own free will. However, since the court has found Arzoo to be underage, this was refused and she was returned to the shelter home.
The court also directed police to take legal action against Azhar for kidnapping Arzoo and violating the Sindh Child Marriage Act. The Sindh High Court has adjourned the case for the next two weeks.
According to a study by the Movement for Solidarity and Peace Pakistan, an estimated 1,000 Christian and Hindu women are abducted, forcefully married, and forcefully converted to Islam every year. Many of the victims are minors. Sexual assaults and fraudulent marriages are used by perpetrators to entrap victims and authorities are often complicit.
The issue of religion is injected into cases of sexual assault to place victims from religious minority communities at a disadvantage. Playing upon religious biases, perpetrators know they can cover up and justify their crimes by introducing an element of religion.
https://www.persecution.org/2020/11/09/medical-report-pakistan-proves-arzoo-raja-minor/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=facebook_page&utm_medium=International%20Christian%20Concern
Study highlights online harassment of Pakistani minorities
Bilawal Bhutto urges Gilgit-Baltistan to vote
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Sunday urged the people of Gilgit-Baltistan to shape their own fate by making the right choice on election day, and exercise their right to vote.
"If you don't vote, then a puppet will rule you," he warned, reported Geo News.
Zardari said that several voices demanding the construction of roads and threatening a boycott of voting have been growing louder.
"I hear slogans such as 'no road, no vote' are being raised. Removing yourself from the voting process is not the path to success," he said.
Pakistan had announced that they will hold elections to the so-called Gilgit Baltistan legislative assembly on November 15.
The PPP chairman also claimed to resolve all the problems of the people.
"We are related to the people of this area for the last three generations and we have to revive again this relationship," Geo News quoted Zardari.
Zardari also promised to provide jobs to the local residents in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Bilawal also vowed to make Gilgit-Baltistan a constitutional province.
Gilgit-Baltistan is a vital part of the multi-billion dollar CPEC project, with the project's major overland crossing at Kashgar, in the territory's north.
Meanwhile, the Imran Khan government had recently announced granting provisional province status to the region, which is scheduled to have elections this month.
The people across Gilgit-Baltistan are up in arms against Islamabad's decision of integrating the illegally occupied region with the rest of Pakistan.
https://www.malaysiasun.com/news/266939055/bilawal-bhutto-urges-gilgit-baltistan-to-vote
گلگت بلتستان کے عوام سیاسی مہم میں ہمارے ساتھ ہیں، بلاول بھٹو
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے کہا ہے کہ گلگت بلتستان کے عوام سیاسی مہم ہمارے ساتھ ہیں، یہ تاثر غلط ہے کہ گلگت بلتستان میں انتخابی مہم چلانے کیلئے مجھے رعایت دی جارہی ہے۔
الیکشن ہم ہی جیتیں گے، حکومت بنانے کیلئے پی ٹی آئی سے اتحاد کا سوچ بھینہیں سکتا، نظام کو نہیں چلنے دیا جارہا ہے، ڈکٹیشن پر نہیں چل سکتا، سلیکٹڈ وزیر اعظم نے گندے وزیر بھیجے جو گندی زبان استعمال کرتے ہیں، عمران خان کا ہر وعدہ جھوٹا ، سلیکٹڈ گلگت بلتستان میں بھی تباہی کرنا چاہتا ہے۔
عمران نیازی تو خود عبوری وزیراعظم ہیں اور جو عبوری وزیراعظم ہوں وہ کیسے صوبہ بنا سکتا ہے ؟ 15 ؍نومبر کو گلگت بلتستان کے انتخابات میں فتح حاصل کرنے کے بعد ذوالفقار علی بھٹو اور محترمہ بینظیر بھٹو شہید کا مشن پورا کرینگے۔ ان خیالات کا اظہار انہوں نے نگر اورسمائیر میں عوامی جلسوں سے خطاب اور ایک انٹرویو میں کیا۔
بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے وفاقی حکومت پر تنقید کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ اس سلیکٹڈ حکومت کے دو سال ہوچکے ہیں، عمران خان نے آپ کیلئے کیا کیا؟ انہوں نے ایک منصوبہ بھی گلگت بلتستان کے لیے نہیں دیا اور اب کہتے ہیں کہ عبوری صوبہ بنائینگے۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ انتخابات سے قبل انہوں نے اسکی مخالفت کی تھی اور اب انہیں یہ یاد آرہا ہے۔ان کا کہنا تھا کہ پیپلز پارٹی نے 2018 کے منشور میں کہا تھا کہ گلگت بلتستان کا مطالبہ ہے کہ سینیٹ اور قومی اسمبلی میں انکی نمائندگی ہونی چاہیے۔
انہوں نے کہا کہ15 نومبر آپ کی جدوجہد کا امتحان کا دن ہے اور اس دن پیپلز پارٹی کو ووٹ دیں تاکہ ہم جی بی کو اس کا حق دلوا سکیں۔انہوں نے کہا کہ پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی ہی گلگت بلتستان کو حقوق دلوا سکتی ہے، ہم حقوق دینے والے ہیں حقوق چھیننے والے نہیں۔
ان کا کہنا تھا کہ جو لوگ صوبہ بننے سے قبل گلگت بلتستان کی سبسڈی ختم کریں، ٹیکس بڑھائیں تو وہ صوبہ بنانے کے بعد کیا کرینگے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ پیپلز پارٹی گلگت بلتستان ہی نہیں وفاق میں بھی حکومت بنائے گی۔انہوں نےعوام سے مفت صحت کی سہولیات قائم کرنے کا وعدہ بھی کیا۔
ان کا کہنا تھا کہ ہمیں صرف حقوق حاصل نہیں کرنے بلکہ تبدیلی کے نام پر پورے پاکستان میں پھیلی تباہی کو دبانا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ خدا نخواستہ یہاں بھی کٹھ پتلی حکومت بنی تو نوجوانوں کے ساتھ یہ کیا کیا کرینگے۔
https://jang.com.pk/news/842622