I will NEVER compromise on Kashmir issue, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Shaheed

Vote for Teer - #kashmir - Vote for your rights; right to ownership, right to govern and right to employment.

OP-ED: PTI’s naya Pakistan juggling with the old one

 BY Qamar Rafiq

Open your eyes as wide as you can and take note of where you are, why you are, and who you are with? For too long, our politics has been alienated by those who believe that decency, compassion, and honesty are not important ingredients of a recipe. That is why our politics has remained polarised to rust the compass that activates magnets of wisdom and prosperity in a society.

Today, the gap between the status quo and real life has become treacherously visible, and ironically, the faith in politics as a hope for change and a force for good has doomed over the entire country. It is almost eight years since Imran Khan stood at D-Chowk to tell us that he had a “vigorous plan” to fix the loopholes of the economic and social care system and offered multiple reform schemes. And yet we are no closer to any semblance of one. Perhaps, he seems so desperate to steal himself a slice of ecstasy, whereas, the members of his squad are carrying a knife in their pockets, looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.

To the best of my knowledge, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership seems tired, exhausted, confused, aggravated and much more doubtful as to whether they have a strategy to deliver jobs, good health care, education, and basic utilities of life. Now in 2021, an entire generation of young people have almost no chance of getting jobs whilst gig economy workers are left to moan in grinding poverty. Instead of showing us the way forward, PTI’s inadequate domestic policies have rightly declared a war on overloaded healthcare and outdated education system which has bruised the dream of a welfare state.

  According to UNICEF, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC) with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school. Over 17 million people still have no choice but to drink contaminated water, and more than two out of five people do not have an access to proper toilets.

Similarly, judicial independence, law and order, current account deficit, and energy crisis are the fundamental issues in which the PTI leadership has miserably failed to bring any considerable reform despite making tall claims.Similarly, judicial independence, law and order, current account deficit, and energy crisis are the fundamental issues in which the PTI leadership has miserably failed to bring any considerable reform despite making tall claims.Over the past few years, I have been contacted by many families sharing heartbreaking stories of having their hands tied behind their backs because of cultural wars manufactured by the PTI.

Distressingly, Pakistan’s population as well as its government, whether we like it or not, have became intolerant and just imposing their beliefs on others. Today, Pakistan is amongst the worst countries in the world that is damaging the values of religious freedom, human respect, and media independence. Our ethos of religious freedom, human respect and media independence is chronically welded with the profound sense of insecurity and economic risks. Meanwhile, shifting the blame on previous regimes is typically the all-round card PTI and their trading partners use day and night. This creates an impression of escaping responsibility that has become the recurrent theme of the PTI government.

From the perspective of academic models, the PTI has cynically operated the wind turbines of accountability to put opposition heads under the water. Eventually, Imran Khan and his acolytes’ serial incompetence have failed to integrate the working class into Pakistan’s politics which has increased the disparities between poor and rich in terms of opportunities and status. The last time I checked the road to “Naya Pakistan”, it was not through the yard of injustice, inequality, and inhumanity. What strikes about all this bedtime story is how swiftly many of us perceived the PTI success in the 2018 election as a victory for hope over hate, decency over division, truth over lies and compassion over hatred. Where is any of that in our politics, I wonder?

Perhaps, presently, the leadership of Pakistan seems digressional because below the par politics has discarded the foundations of national unity and integrity that is further plaguing the state organs. The current time needs the government to realign its thoughts and decide the right path for the nation.

The PTI’s delusion can convince Prime Minister Imran Khan’s blind voters that PTI has delivered, but this does not change the fact that his overconfidence has disfranchised poor voters, misdirected foreign policy, disrespected diplomatic norms, and fractured the economy. With all these mounting challenges, oppositional political parties have a duty to expose the neglect of those who lead us rather than cannibalise each other. Although there have been a lot of doom predictions about the life expectancy of the PTI government, it won’t see power again until it recalls the promises at the time of their win. Nevertheless, PTI will be remembered as a comedy serial of magnificent lies for many years. I bet you the time will never heal some of our scars, even after the demagogic play of PTI to rebuild a bridge even where there is no river. If we are lucky enough to emerge from the siesta of hobgoblins fantasy, there will be a great prospect to harness the solidarity and national spirit that we have not seen over the past years, to rebuild our economy and our public services, to bring our communities bond together, and to put honesty, compassion, and integrity back at the heart of our politics.

Certainly, these are the lessons you might want to teach your children that being brave is more important in the first place than having failed to understand politics has no relation to morals. Today, the crucial question with a collective sense of heartbreak remains unanswered that is why is the truth buried for so long? The answer to this million-dollar question can be traced without an algorithm or google search engine. In fact, PTI showed us a “Naya Pakistan” but the old one has not gone away.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/794857/ptis-naya-pakistan-juggling-with-the-old-one/

Free Balochistan Movement forms a New Cabinet

The National Council of Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) chaired by Hyrbyair Marri was held on July 4th, 2021 after the completion of the first term of the central cabinet.

The meeting reviewed the performance of the institutions on the completion of the term of the first cabinet of the Free Balochistan Movement. The names of the heads of the new executive departments were presented to the National Council for approval at the meeting. The National Council questioned them about their qualifications and responsibilities. At the end of the meeting, the National Council headed by the Judicial Committee of the Free Balochistan Movement approved the new cabinet of the Free Balochistan Movement by voting as follows:

1. Jamal Nasir Baloch  for Foreign Affairs Department

2. Beebagr Baloch for International Department of FBM

3. Faiz Muhammad Baloch for Finance Department

4. Haider KB Baloch for Organizational Department External,

5. Nobat Marri for Information Department 

6. Sadiq Raisani Tribal Affairs Department 

The oath taking ceremony of the new cabinet was held on July 18th 2021 under the chairmanship of the party president Hyrbyair Marri and party president administered the oath of new the central cabinet. 

Talking to new cabinet of free Balochistan Movement, Mr. Hyrbyair Marri said that given the past changing geopolitics of our region  we need to further intensify our liberation movement.

https://balochwarna.com/2021/07/21/free-balochistan-movement-forms-a-new-cabinet/

China has much to teach Pakistan, other than how minorities should be handled

PERVEZ HOODBHOY

Whether for good or bad, the Chinese are a plain, hard-headed lot. There are no calls for Ertugrul-like men on horseback to resurrect some ancient kingdom.

When Prime Minister Imran Khan categorically endorsed China’s line on Uighur Muslims he succumbed to political expediency: “Because of our extreme proximity and relationship with China”, he said, “we actually accept the Chinese version.” A savvier politician facing the Chinese media might have tried a little hemming and hawing rather than dispense with truth, human rights and Muslim solidarity. Still, one must not be too harsh on the PM; any country which owes its life to a powerful patron has little leeway.

Much loved by some but feared by others, China today is an economic superpower. Geopolitics changed in 2017 when its GNP shot above that of the US. But what accounts for its phenomenal rise and ferocious progress? Equally, one may ask: why has Pakistan been on external life support from 1947 onward and barely limped along? The difference cries out for an explanation.

Max Weber, the 19th-century German sociologist, would have an answer. Since his pioneering work, social scientists know economic growth goes hand-in-hand with a society’s collective worldview and culture. Through data-driven research, Weber explained why Protestants and Calvinists had far outpaced Catholics in generating wealth and industrialising Europe. He concluded that progress-friendly cultures demand belief in rationality, rule of law, planning, punctuality, deferred gratification, and expectations of reward in this life rather than the next.

Certainly not how minorities should be treated! But there’s much else that China can teach Pakistan.

Were he alive today, how would Weber see China in relation to Pakistan?

First, China’s worldview is — like that of 19th-century Protestants — entirely future-focused and this-worldly. Notwithstanding the pride Chinese people take in their ancient science and civilisation, there is no deep nostalgia and no calls for Ertugrul-like men on horseback to resurrect some ancient kingdom. Whether for good or bad, and whether under Mao’s revolutionary communism or under Xi Jinping’s capitalistic communism, the Chinese are a plain, hard-headed lot.

This attitude sets the tone for education, both in school and university. Knowing that universities are the engines of progress, China is super-careful about who gets admitted. At the level of language, reasoning and math skills, Chinese students are expected to know everything that American students learn — but better. Today’s gaokao — the cheating-free university entrance exam — is a carryover from the rigorous exam system (keju) of ancient China’s civil service.

Reputed to be the toughest in the world, gaokao beats even that for various IITs (Indian Institute of Technology). Unfortunately, educated in a memorisation-heavy culture steeped in religious matters, most Pakistani university professors — including those who are HEC certified and with hundreds of research publications — would not clear Chinese university entrance exams.Second, a reborn Weber would see China clearly defining its national interest with economic advancement being at the very top. As a rationalist-materialist country China aims at becoming the world leader in space exploration, brain science, quantum computers, electric cars, biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy, etc. Five-year plans are followed to the letter; there is no empty chatter or arbitrary wish lists.At the next level of priority is politics. To reunite with Taiwan, China rattles its sabres from time to time. Nevertheless, China-Taiwan economic links are strong. Taiwanese companies have invested about $60 billion in China, and one million Taiwanese people live in China with many running Taiwanese factories. The Chinese political leadership keeps its military in check. There is no history of Kargil-like dead-end adventures and the military stays clear of trade matters. The warrior ethic is firmly subordinated to the capitalist ethic.

In Pakistan’s case, warriors define the national interest. Googling ‘national interest’, I found occurrences in speeches, university theses and in National Defence University publications. All such references were security and India related. In this single-minded approach, Pakistan-India trade remains hostage to Kashmir being resolved on Pakistan’s terms. Nowhere to be found is a plan for where the country hopes to be 20-30 years from now. No one takes the Planning Commission of Pakistan seriously.

Third, Weber would confirm that strong work ethics leads to high labour productivity, the backbone of economic growth. Although he knew only of Protestant-Calvinist workers and capitalists, the qualities of diligence, discipline, responsibility, punctuality and honesty of the skilled industrial workforce extends into the cultures of China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea etc.

In contrast, Pakistan’s labour productivity is appallingly low — less than half of China’s. Many economists and businessmen have pointed out that producing an item in high-wage China is cheaper than in low-wage Pakistan. Poor productivity owes to poor worker skills and general dissatisfaction. Exploitative employers pay minimum wages, ignore principles of fairness and disallow grievance mechanisms. But the ethics of workers are also low. Few take pride in or enjoy work, are diligent, or take initiatives. Like our parliamentarians and professors, most are shirkers who need to be reminded of their duties.

These poor habits start from Pakistani schools where kids are forced to focus on exam techniques and taught just enough to get by. Cheating is tolerated. Some parents — including those who emphasise religious rituals — encourage their children to cheat as a way to get ahead. But, at a still deeper level, quality education for all is impossible given extreme wealth disparities.

In China such disparities had been evened up by Mao’s communism. Although huge excesses happened in the Cultural Revolution, education was universalised and hard work celebrated. China is reaping dividends from its communist past. Pakistan never saw any such evening-up. Leaders of the Pakistan Movement — Jinnah and Allama Iqbal (the post-1930 Iqbal) included — were staunchly anti-communist. Some were big landlords who saw danger in educating their serfs. Education was a low priority in 1947 and remains low.

Curiously, the country that Pakistan’s founders feared and disliked most (after Russia) is now Pakistan’s closest ally. It does bash its Muslims; the evidence is irrefutable. Yet — other than how religious minorities should be handled — China has much to teach Pakistan. Among the most important lessons is creating a skilled workforce, giving dignity to labour, distributing wealth and public resources reasonably, emphasising birth control, and encouraging a mindset oriented to the future rather than the past. If Pakistan wants to break the crutches of foreign dependence, that’s the way to go.

https://theprint.in/opinion/china-has-much-to-teach-pakistan-other-than-how-minorities-should-be-handled/693390/