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Video Report - World Economic Forum report on gender gap exposes how poor Pakistan's women have been treated by the state and society.

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International Relations – What’s in it for the Common Man?

By Sadaf Rasheed

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has made headlines in the international press after becoming Pakistan’s youngest Foreign Minister. His frequent visits to multiple countries during this short period of time have won him applause from the experts but the opposition and its mouthpieces in media has criticized him for what they call “too many foreign trips”. Can there be too many foreign trips by a country’s Foreign Minister whose job is to build, rebuild and enhance relations with other countries?

If someone analyzes the history of PPP governments, it becomes evident that Mr Zardari is not doing something new. PPP governments in the past initiated a robust and enhanced process of global engagement based on the principles of equality, respect and mutuality of interest and benefit.

Shaheed Mohtarma BB, during her visit to Cairo in 1994 said,“I dream of a Pakistan, of an Asia, of a world, where we can commit our social resources to the development of human life, and not to its destruction.”

PPP’s 2018 Manifesto states,“Pakistan must step forward and rationally create the framework for a proactive foreign policy that is designed to maximise our benefits while maintaining the best possible relations with all other countries.”

“We envision a Pakistan that is regionally, geographically and globally connected.”

Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is continuing the PPP’s policy of maintaining good relations with other countries around the globe.

Now a question arises here why a political party that takes pride in being pro-poor takes so much interest in international relations. Chairman PPP Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari answered this question while speaking at an event to announce the party’s manifesto for the 2018 general elections. He said,“Foreign policy should be rooted in economic diplomacy” Like people, countries cannot prosper while working in silos. International co-operation is essential for the prosperity of a country, region and entire world. The economic and social development of a nation is directly proportional to the degree of its foreign relations. International trade, export & import strengthen the economy which in turn helps in poverty alleviation. Apart from economic implications, the effect of having good international relations can be seen in the social sector. When any country falls into natural calamities like floods, earthquakes, and diseases, other countries play their role to help lessen the effect of devastation. The control of polio and COVID-19 virus shows that through global cooperation countries can overcome any problem. Training of human resources, introduction of the latest technologies in agriculture, industries, and medical science, all require having strong relations with other nations.

So what has PPP achieved for a common man through its foreign policy? Be it the period of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto or Mr Asif Ali Zardari, PPP governments have actively pursued foreign relations with other countries which resulted in strengthening of the economy, creation of jobs, development of infrastructure, educational and health institutions, thereby uplifting Pakistan’s common man.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto initiated foreign relations with the then Soviet Union when he was the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. It was the fruits of his efforts that in 1961, the Soviet Union gave a loan of 27 million Rubles to Pakistan for oil and gas exploration, which later enabled the establishment of an oil and gas development organization in Pakistan. So, the contribution of OGDCL to the development of Pakistan can be attributed to ZAB’s foreign policy.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took reins of a country in anarchic conditions, this undeveloped and war-shattered Pakistan was facing an international economic crisis. As soon as ZAB took the oath, he started visiting different countries to strengthen Pakistan’s ties with the international world. His foreign policy paid dividends and the world came to rescue Pakistan from difficult conditions by investing in different sectors. The economic cooperation from China, the Soviet Union, Iran, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E. and Libya are worth mentioning which resulted in the establishment of fertilizer plants, an oil refinery, Port Qasim, the Heavy Mechanical Complex, the Heavy Foundry and Forge near Taxila, self-sufficiency in wheat production, roads infrastructure, hospitals, educational institutes, nuclear reprocessing plant and the steel mill. All these projects led to the creation of hundreds of thousands of job opportunities and the reduction of poverty in Pakistan.

Moreover, the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto persuaded the Gulf countries to encourage both skilled and unskilled men from Pakistan to work there. In 1979, it was estimated that the Pakistani workforce in the Middle East lay somewhere around one million. Remittances sent by the migrants not only helped in building the country’s foreign exchange reserves and in providing a balance of payment support, which thus contributed to greater economic development but also provided necessary income support to their families. Similarly, when Shaheed BB came to power, she visited Iran, Turkey, China, US, UK, Switzerland, Korea, France, and Germany, among other countries, to convince business leaders of the viability of investing in Pakistan and to stress the potential for lucrative returns that such investment offers. SMBB succeeded in bringing Pakistan into the modern era. She brought fiber optic technology, cellular phones, and Internet technology to Pakistan. By early 1994, Telecom Australia started working on a $40 million contract to lay fiber optic cable from Karachi to Islamabad. During the same time, other foreign telecommunications companies, including Alcatel, Siemens, Ericsson, and Cable and Wireless had also begun installing digital communications networks in the Sindh, Punjab, and KP provinces. By mid-1994, 5430 telex lines had been installed, and a cellular mobile telephone system had been introduced.

Today, Pakistan has an IT industry with more than 12000 IT Companies and exports crossing the $2 billion figure. It contributes around 7 per cent of Pakistan’s GDP and employs hundreds of thousands of professionals. The growth of the IT industry is only possible because the PPP government was able to sell the idea of investing in Pakistan to foreign investors.

In addition to technology, the PPP government led by SMBB succeeded in attracting investment worth billions of dollars into Pakistan’s energy and power generation sector. In 1996, Benazir Bhutto laid the foundation stone of the Thar Coal power project. It has now become a success story of public-private partnership. Considering the load shedding, people are facing nowadays, there is no need of explaining the importance of power generation to common people, leave alone industries. Apart from power generation from this project, coal mining is playing a significant role in economic growth and poverty alleviation by providing thousands of jobs to the locals. In the infrastructure sector, Benazir Bhutto’s government signed a memorandum of understanding with the South Korean conglomerate Daewoo in which the latter pledged to implement $2 billion worth of projects, including the construction of a $730 million, 315km motorway between Lahore and Islamabad, Pakistan’s first motorway. After taking oath as President of Pakistan, Mr Asif Ali Zardari conducted his first-ever diplomatic visit as president of the country to China to follow up on the strong relations developed with the friendly country by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto. He followed it up with many more visits to present his idea of multi-billion dollars China Pakistan Economic Corridor. This project is termed a “Game changer” for Pakistan. It is estimated that this project will create 800,000 direct jobs in the next 10 to 15 years. This project is expected to add more than $60 million to Pakistan’s economy and thousands of megawatts of energy to the national grid. The impact of CPEC is expected to be so huge that research papers have been written on the topic.

President Zardari also visited European countries and introduced his idea of “Trade, not aid”. He lobbied at the highest level with countries of the EU. His continuous efforts in this regards resulted in GSP Plus status given to Pakistan in 2014. Not only did the Pakistan economy gain in terms of export revenue, but the efficiency gained was also immense as the relevant industries gained economies of scale and started becoming globally competitive. The labour employed in the relevant sectors was also employed gainfully as exports rise. Also worth mentioning is that the total EU development assistance for Pakistan for 2009-2013 amounts to over € 2.4 billion, funding activities focused on rural development/natural resources management and on education/human resources management.

Pakistan faced one of the most devastating floods in 2010. Flooding across Pakistan resulted in almost 2000 fatalities and an estimated $40 plus billion dollars worth of damage. International friends came to help the people of Pakistan in those difficult times. In the aftermath of the floods, the Russian Federation decreased the custom duty up to 35% on Pakistani goods as a goodwill gesture. The European Commission helped with €150 million in humanitarian assistance. The U.S. donated $55 million. All of this assistance was provided for the relief of the common man of Pakistan.

Following the footsteps of his leaders, Chairman PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has already visited US, Switzerland, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran in a short span of time after taking oath as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan to rebuild ties with the international community. While in his early days, he has already resolved the issues of Pakistani students enrolled in Chinese Medical universities whose future was at stake. It is hoped that like his predecessor, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be able to strengthen and broaden Pakistan’s relations with the world and translate these relations into the socio-economic development of common people of Pakistan.

https://en.humsub.com.pk/4261/international-relations-whats-in-it-for-the-common-man-2/

Tribal council in Pakistan bars women from visiting tourist spots

SAJJAD HUSSAIN

A tribal council in Pakistan has barred women from visiting public places for tourism and entertainment, terming it “unethical” and against the Islamic principles.The all-male jirga (tribal council) of local elders of ultra-conservative Salarzai tehsil in Bajaur tribal district on Saturday announced that if the government did not implement the decision by Sunday, the jirga members would take it upon themselves to impose it, the Dawn News reported.

The jirga was organised by the local chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, which is also one of the main members of the ruling coalition.

The move comes just days after the World Economic Forum, in its Global Gender Gap Report, ranked Pakistan as the second worst country in terms of gender parity in the world as well as the region.Besides scores of elders from various tribes and areas of the Salarzai tehsil, a number of JUI-F leaders and religious figures of the region also attended the gathering, held after the JUI-F district leadership raised concerns during their presser on Thursday over what they called “unethical” activities in the name of entertainment. Addressing the gathering on Saturday, JUI-F district chief Maulana Abdur Rasheed, who also belonged to the Salarzai region, and other speakers pointed out that the jirga was meant to discuss several issues of the region that emerged during Eid, and resolve them peacefully and amicably.

The participants were told that it was noted that besides men, scores of local women either with their husbands and other relatives or separately had visited different tourist and picnic spots during the Eid holidays in the region to attend musical concerts and boat rides, which they claimed were against the local customs and traditions “based on Islamic principles”.

The speakers further said women visiting the said places for tourism and entertainment was “totally unethical and unacceptable” as, they claimed, there was no room for such activities both in Islam and local traditions. The participants in the meeting expressed concerns over women’s movement, and sought strict restrictions in this regard. The ban on women from visiting picnic sites was later announced by JUI-F’s Maulana Rasheed, calling it a “joint declaration” of the jirga.

He said all the participants approved a complete ban on women’s visits to tourist spots — with or without husbands.

“We want to promote tourism in our areas as it is vital for socioeconomic development of the region. We are only against women visiting such areas as it was in contrast to our customs and traditions. Hence, the jirga banned it,” he announced, adding such activities could not be allowed in the name of tourism.

He further stressed that if the government/district administration failed to take any action in this regard until Sunday, the jirga would enforce the ban itself.

There was no word from the district administration, nor was there any indication if the JUI-F-backed jirga decision had been endorsed by other political parties, or if it was indeed “representative” of the tribal council.

The party has influence in the tribal district, but social activists said the announcement lacked any legal and constitutional backing. PTI SH PMS PMS

https://theprint.in/world/tribal-council-in-pakistan-bars-women-from-visiting-tourist-spots/1043003/

The big default? Pakistan among a dozen countries in ‘danger zone’

Traditional debt crisis signs of crashing currencies, 1,000 basis points bond spreads and burned foreign exchange reserves point to a record number of developing nations now in trouble.

Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Russia, Suriname and Zambia are already in default, Belarus is on the brink and at least another dozen are in the danger zone as rising borrowing costs, inflation and debt all stoke fears of economic collapse. Totting up the cost is eye-watering. Using 1,000 basis points bond spreads as a pain threshold, analysts calculate $400 billion of debt is in play. Argentina has by far the most at over $150bn, while the next in line are Ecuador and Egypt with $40bn-$45bn.

Crisis veterans hope many can still dodge default, especially if global markets calm and the IMF rows in with support, but these are the countries at risk.

ARGENTINA: The sovereign default world record holder looks likely to add to its tally. The peso now trades at a near 50 per cent discount in the black market, reserves are critically low and bonds trade at just 20 cents in the dollar — less than half of what they were after the country’s 2020 debt restructuring.

The government doesn’t have any substantial debt to service until 2024, but it ramps up after that and concerns have crept in that powerful vice president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner may push to renege on the International Monetary Fund.

UKRAINE: Russia’s invasion means Ukraine will almost certainly have to restructure its $20bn plus of debt, heavyweight investors such as Morgan Stanley and Amundi warn.

The crunch comes in September when $1.2bn of bond payments are due. Aid money and reserves mean Kyiv could potentially pay. But with state-run Naftogaz this week asking for a two-year debt freeze, investors suspect the government will follow suit.

TUNISIA: Africa has a cluster of countries going to the IMF but Tunisia looks one of the most at risk. A near 10pc budget deficit, one of the highest public sector wage bills in the world and there are concerns that securing, or at least sticking to, an IMF programme may be tough due to President Kais Saied’s push to strengthen his grip on power and the country’s powerful, incalcitrant labour union.

Tunisian bond spreads — the premium investors demand to buy the debt rather than US bonds — have risen to over 2,800 basis points and along with Ukraine and El Salvador, Tunisia is on Morgan Stanley’s top three list of likely defaulters.

GHANA: Furious borrowing has seen Ghana’s debt-to-GDP ratio soar to almost 85pc. Its currency, the cedi, has lost nearly a quarter of its value this year and it was already spending over half of tax revenues on debt interest payments. Inflation is also getting close to 30pc.

EGYPT: The country has a near 95pc debt-to-GDP ratio and has seen one of the biggest exoduses of international cash this year — some $11bn according to JPMorgan. Fund firm FIM Partners estimates Egypt has $100bn of hard currency debt to pay over the next five years, including a meaty $3.3 billion bond in 2024.

Cairo devalued the pound 15pc and asked the IMF for help in March but bond spreads are now over 1,200 basis points and credit default swaps (CDS) — an investor tool to hedge risk — price in a 55pc chance it fails on a payment.

Francesc Balcells, CIO of EM debt at FIM Partners, estimates though that roughly half the $100bn Egypt needs to pay by 2027 is to the IMF or bilateral, mainly in the Gulf.

KENYA: Kenya spends roughly 30pc of revenues on interest payments. Its bonds have lost almost half their value and it currently has no access to capital markets — a problem with a $2bn dollar bond coming due in 2024.

On Kenya, Egypt, Tunisia and Ghana, Moody’s David Rogovic said: “These countries are the most vulnerable just because of the amount of debt coming due relative to reserves, and the fiscal challenges in terms of stabilising debt burdens.”

ETHIOPIA: Addis Ababa plans to be one of the first countries to get debt relief under the G20 Common Framework programme. Progress has been held up by the country’s ongoing civil war though in the meantime it continues to service its sole $1bn international bond.

EL SALVADOR: Making bitcoin legal tender all but closed the door to IMF hopes. Trust has fallen to the point where an $800 million bond maturing in six months trades at a 30pc discount and longer-term ones at a 70pc discount.

PAKISTAN: Pakistan struck a crucial IMF deal this week. The breakthrough could not be more timely, with high energy import prices pushing the country to the brink of a balance of payments crisis.

Foreign currency reserves have fallen to as low as $9.8bn, hardly enough for five weeks of imports. The Pakistani rupee has weakened to record lows. The new government needs to cut spending rapidly now as it spends 40pc of its revenues on interest payments.

BELARUS: Western sanctions wrestled Russia into default last month and Belarus now facing the same tough treatment having stood with Moscow in the Ukraine campaign.

ECUADOR: The Latin American country only defaulted two years ago but it has been rocked back into crisis by violent protests and an attempt to oust President Guillermo Lasso.

It has lots of debt and with the government subsidising fuel and food JPMorgan has ratcheted up its public sector fiscal deficit forecast to 2.4pc of GDP this year and 2.1pc next year. Bond spreads have topped 1,500 bps.

NIGERIA: Bond spreads are just over 1,000 bps, but Nigeria’s next $500m bond payment in a year’s time should easily be covered by reserves which have been steadily improving since June. It does though spend almost 30pc of government revenues paying interest on its debt.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1699817/the-big-default-pakistan-among-a-dozen-countries-in-danger-zone

#Pakistan - The poison in our politics

Politics has never been a particularly pleasant business in these parts, especially in Punjab since it is the most important province in the federation, but the atmosphere ahead of today’s by-polls easily beats all previous levels of toxicity; which is a crying shame. It’s not just that campaign speeches are full of venom and vitriol for opponents, instead of what they would like to do for the people, it’s also that party leaders prefer and reward the kind of lieutenants that stand out for the crassness of their attitudes. So the whole thing has descended to one big fight in which the one that throws more mud at the other wins the battle of wits.

The latest twist has been the release of the Supreme Court’s detailed judgement on the actions of former deputy speaker of the national assembly, Qasim Suri, when the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan was tabled. Though parliamentary business in Islamabad is far removed from the battle for Punjab, it’s added yet more poison on the road to the July 17 by-poll. Now PML-N heavyweights are smiling ear-to-ear and dangling Article-6 in front of the PTI leadership, while the latter has rolled up its sleeves even more as it ratchets up its rhetoric against state institutions; clearly taking the position that anybody that does not agree with the party, even if it is the superior judiciary, is no friend of the country.

In this rush the people of the province have perhaps failed to notice that there’s nothing that either party has said about how it would run the cash-starved province to their benefit, whose policies would benefit households and businesses more, and all that. They have, in fact, only been witness to a very ugly feud between the political elite of this place. And even when they throng to political rallies, most of them expect nothing more than the circus they are treated to.

Today’s by-poll shows perfectly just how and why this country’s politics has become devoid of material and full of poison.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/967451/the-poison-in-our-politics/

Message of sympathy to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the ongoing floods in Pakistan

China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi sent a message of sympathy to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the ongoing floods in Pakistan.

In his message, Wang Yi expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of life and property in several areas of Pakistan due to floods, CRI reported. He expressed deep sympathy with the families of those who died in the flood, the injured and the affected people in the disaster areas. Wang Yi said that the Chinese government and people are always with the Pakistani government and the fraternal Pakistani people.

We are sure that under the leadership of the Pakistani government, the people of Pakistan will definitely overcome the calamities and restore normal life soon, he added.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/967513/chinese-fm-expresses-grief-over-flood-damages-in-pakistan/