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Friday, May 14, 2021
Understanding The Origins Of Pan-Islamism During World War I – Analysis
OP-ED: #Pakistan - Increasing intolerance towards minorities
The fact that no arrests have been made so far nor any action taken against those who forcibly occupied a Christian place of worship speaks volumes about our ‘fair’ treatment of minorities
General Zia, in his enthusiasm to impose his own brand of Islam on the country, is always singled out as leaving indelible scars on the national psyche that will probably never fully heal; most notably through the introduction of the now notorious blasphemy laws. According to criminal jurisprudence, an offence bears three components. First, is mens rea (‘guilty mind’, that is, a person’s intention to commit a crime). Second, is the physical movement towards its commission. Third, is the execution of the crime itself. In the absence of one of these components, the offence cannot be proved against the accused. The case of S 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which was introduced by an act of Parliament in 1986, made it a criminal offence to make derogatory remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH). However, those who framed this law — intentionally or unintentionally — omitted to include mens rea . The result being that an individual charged with this offence cannot avoid the death sentence as there is no wiggle-room to prove intention. Thus, this omission gives unbridled powers to law enforcement agents to implicate anyone, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, for the grave offence of blasphemy. Naturally, minority communities have the most to fear in this regard.
Most countries in the world have blasphemy laws on the books and Pakistan is no exception, with the origins for these provisions dating back to British rule. Yet, here, the problem lies in the inherent jurisprudential flaw in drafting S 295-C (PPC). Reforming this provision ought not to be difficult, in theory at least. After all, the military dictator under whose rule these draconian laws were introduced had no pretensions of either being a legal or an Islamic scholar. And since Parliament introduced the aberration of S 295-C, it naturally has the right to vote on its fate. This is the only way to accord full rights to Pakistan’s minorities, while also reining in the police.
It is unfortunate that under the government of Imran Khan, incidents targeting minorities are on the rise. The ruling PTI must come down hard on culprits and ensure punishment in accordance with the law. This is also essential to restore Pakistan’s image internationally; where we are seen as a nation of bigots and fanatics. The fact that no arrests have been made so far nor any action taken against those who forcibly occupied a Christian place of worship speaks volumes about our “fair” treatment of minorities.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/755244/increasing-intolerance-towards-minorities/
Pakistan Faces Tough Choices In Post-US Afghanistan -Analysis
By Saif Khattak
President Biden’s announcement last month regarding an unconditional US military withdrawal from Afghanistan has altered the geopolitical landscape of the region. Russia and China are cautious of a potential spillover of militancy into their borders. Iran and Saudi Arabia are moving towards normalization of ties. India has shown resentment over a move that would see its influence in Afghanistan diminished. But none of them face as perplexing a situation as faced by Pakistan – a country that will have to make tough choices in the days to come.
For decades now, Pakistan has been regarded as the mediator of choice when it comes to negotiations with the Taliban. It has been widely credited for bringing the Taliban on board with the Afghan peace process. The relations between the Pakistani establishment and the Taliban are no secret – the former is believed to hold significant influence over the latter. With the Taliban now increasingly becoming stronger within Afghanistan, many believe the present course of events project a win for Islamabad.
As it turns out, such a view is quite myopic. At present, the Taliban are preventing substantial progress in the intra-Afghan negotiations, biding their time till the departure of US and NATO troops. In the past two weeks, there has been an escalation in the number of skirmishes between the Taliban and Afghan security forces, both vying for control over areas previously under supervision of US troops. President Biden’s announcement seems to have emboldened the Taliban, who are now more likely to pursue a hostile takeover of the country rather than accept a political settlement based on compromise.
Islamabad’s recent activities suggest that it is not too keen on the idea of the Taliban having absolute power in Afghanistan. Since last year, Pakistan has sought to diversify its options by cultivating relations with multiple political actors in Kabul. It first hosted Dr Abdullah Abdullah, who leads Afghanistan’s High Council of National Reconciliation – a person previously sidelined by Islamabad. And later a visit was arranged to Kabul by a Pakistani delegation led by Prime Minister Imran Khan. More recently, Pakistan was part of the extended Troika meeting that urged parties in Afghanistan to reach a political settlement, condemning violence and cautioning against a potential Spring offensive by the Taliban – one that seems to have already begun.
Pakistan’s preference of a political settlement that sees the Taliban having a share of power rather than absolute Taliban control over Kabul is based on a couple of reasons.
First, Islamabad’s influence over the Taliban has waned over the past decade. Earlier relations between both parties were an extension of the spirit of Afghan Jihad against the Soviet Union. The Taliban’s previous leadership has now been replaced by a new generation, embodied by the likes of Mullah Yaqoob and Mullah Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai, who have not operated side by side with Pakistani intelligence officers, nor have they been acculturated through long stays in Pakistan. Their present relation with Pakistan is one of convenience, and one that is likely to weaken once the Taliban move out of their position of dependence.
Second, if the Taliban – who are mostly ethnic Pashtuns – hold a monopoly on power in Kabul, it is likely that it would incite Pashtun nationalism on Pakistan’s western border. Pashtun nationalism lies at the base of Pakistan’s longstanding border dispute with Afghanistan over the Durand line. Islamabad wants a government in Kabul that would see a favorable resolution to this dispute but a Taliban regime provides no such guarantees – especially, given the fact that the Taliban were against it when they previously held power.
But there is a catch to not supporting the Taliban’s complete hold on power: it provides maneuvering room for Pakistan’s traditional rival, India. The current political establishment in Kabul has developed cordial relations with New Delhi over the past two decades. During this time, India has invested over $3 billion in Afghanistan, developing its soft power while strategically encircling Pakistan and thwarting Islamabad’s strategic depth doctrine. Any political arrangement that comes out of the intra-Afghan negotiations is likely to have elements of the current political establishment, and hence, some level of Indian influence in it. India could leverage its economic strength to improve its position in the new dynamic arising after a successful dialogue. Islamabad would want to see this influence diminished but its only available option to avoid this outcome is backing the Taliban’s hold on power and dealing with its repercussions.
Moreover, even if the previously mentioned dilemma does not play itself out and Islamabad finds the perfect balance between both options, there are other factors at play that do not bode well for Pakistan. Over the past four decades, more than 4 million Afghan refugees have made their way across the border into Pakistan. Not only will it be a challenge for Islamabad to ensure the return of these refugees, it might also face blowback as a result of demographic changes caused by their return.
But an even worse situation seems to be on the cards for Pakistan. The current course of events in Afghanistan makes the possibility of stability unlikely in the near future. In the best-case scenario, a political settlement might be reached in which the Taliban have a significant hold on power. Given the record of the Taliban’s previous regime, some are predicting that more refugees will flow out of Afghanistan even if the best case scenario is realized. Pakistan, being an immediate neighbor, will have to bear the brunt of this regional refugee influx. Such a situation would have extreme effects on Pakistan’s economy, which is already struggling as the result of the pandemic.
In the past, as much as 75% of Kabul’s expenditure was supported through foreign assistance. The withdrawal of US troops marks a decrease in the United States’ interest in the region and makes the future of foreign assistance to Afghanistan uncertain. Over the years, the Afghan government has failed to develop substantial revenue sources that would sustain administrative functioning if foreign aid were cut off. On the other hand, the Taliban have greatly depended on the narcotics trade to finance their operations. A regime in Kabul under the influence of the Taliban might compensate for discontinued aid by turning to its current revenue source. Since most opium cultivation in Afghanistan occurs in the region bordering Pakistan, a significant rise in drug smuggling would be observed across the border – a challenge Pakistan previously faced in the 1980s. Such an outcome would have detrimental effects on Pakistani society, requiring years of effort and immense resources to counter it.
The present situation in Afghanistan marks out some very tough choices for Pakistan. On one hand, the Taliban’s rise to power will provide Pakistan with influence in Kabul. On the other, a strengthened Taliban are likely to act independently and against Pakistani interests. President Biden’s announcement seems to have ended the endless war for the United States. But for Pakistan, the real struggle might have just begun.
https://www.eurasiareview.com/14052021-pakistan-faces-tough-choices-in-post-us-afghanistan-analysis/
COVID: What's behind Pakistan's low vaccination rate?
Experts have said that negative publicity combined with a shortage of vaccines are keeping people from getting inoculated. The country has vaccinated just 0.8% of its total population.As other South Asian countries roll out their vaccine programs, critics have said that Pakistan's vaccination drive is moving along at a much slower rate. As of May 6, Pakistan had vaccinated 3.32 million people, or just 0.8% of its population of 216 million. The percentage of vaccinations per 100 people also stands at just 1.53%, against the global average of 16.44%. Both the federal and provincial governments have set up hundreds of vaccination centers.
On the condition of anonymity, a senior government official also blamed the slow pace on the shortage of vaccines. "We are trying to get as many vaccines as possible and might get 18.7 million doses by June," he told DW.
Sindh province's health minister, Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, said that the registration system is also partially to blame for the pace. "The portal launched by the federal government is slow, so people find it difficult to register. However, the Sindh government is asking people to just walk into their nearest vaccine centers if they are of eligible age," Pechuho told DW.
Others, however, contest the claim that the vaccination rate is too slow. Dr. Ikram Ullah Khan, an official from the northwestern city of Peshawar, told DW that around 65,000 out of 75,000 total health care workers have been vaccinated in the city.
The rest would be inoculated soon, he said, adding that the province has already vaccinated more than 450,000 people and plans to give shots to over 10 million people by December this year.
Pechuho believes that the heart-wrenching scenes of relatives and loved ones dying in India have also made a deep impact on people's impression of the vaccine in Pakistan, and have encouraged more people to register.
Vaccine registration on the rise
On May 4, Asad Umar, Pakistan's federal minister of planning, development and special initiatives, announced that more than 164,000 people had been vaccinated in a single day, and around 200,000 people the following day. Additionally, he said, the pace of registration had also picked up.
Meanwhile in Sindh, authorities have launched a center that could be used to vaccinate 30,000 people a day. "We are setting up more such centers and will ask people over the age of 18 to just walk in," Pechuho told DW. "A mobile service is also vaccinating those who are bedridden and people with disabilities."
Additionally, the government of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, is setting up new centers to offer the vaccine to around 80,000 people per day.
Rashid believes that Pakistan will solve its vaccination issue. "We are seeking cooperation with China, which has agreed to get vaccines filled and packaged in Pakistan," he said, adding that the Drugs Regulatory Authority is allowing another Chinese company to carry out clinical trials of a different vaccine which would consist of three doses.
"With all of this, we will not have a supply problem and will have enough vaccines to vaccinate all Pakistanis," he said.
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari appoints office bearers of PYO District Larkano
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has appointed following office bearers of PYO District Larkano with immediate effect.
- Imran Ali Sethar (President)
- Ghulam Asghar Narejo (Senior Vice President)
- Agha Baddardin Jatoi (Vice President-I)
- Abdul Jabbar Memon (Vice President-II)
- Amjad Ali Brohi (Vice President-III)
- Mehran Khan Khaskheli (General Secretary)
- Abdul Ghafar Malano (Deputy General Secretary-I)
- Istiqamat Ali Samo (Deputy General Secretary-II)
- Toufiq Ahmed Bhutto (Information Secretary)
- Fahad Hussain Lashari (Deputy Information Secretary)
- Javed Ali Chandio (Public Relation Secretary)
- Sadam Hussain Junejo (Finance Secretary)
- Sadaqat Ali Mirali (Record & Events Secretary)
Notification in this regard was issued from the Chairman’s Secretariat by his Political Secretary Jameel Soomro here today.
Released by
Surendar Valasai
Incharge
Media Cell Bilawal House
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/24800/