Video Report - Breaking News - Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's Press Conference in Washington - USA

Video Report - Leaked audio exposes Imran Khan’s lies & deceit, stolen copy of cipher endangers nat. security

#Pakistan - Return of the ‘Dar’ Ages

Zahid Hussain

IN yet another interesting twist in the ongoing political soap opera, Ishaq Dar is back, picking up from where he left off some five years ago. The so-called financial wizard promises to fix everything that has gone wrong with the country’s economy. What is described as ‘Daronomics’ is supposed to bring down the dollar and contain the spiralling inflation. Just wait for the magic to start working.

In fact, the return of Dar as the country’s next finance minister and the unceremonious exit of Miftah Ismail have not come as a surprise. It was evident that a Karachi businessman with a doctorate in economics was there just as a stopgap arrangement for getting some hard tasks done. Miftah Ismail successfully negotiated an extremely tough deal with the IMF. But once the tranche was received, he was deemed dispensable. The former finance minister will now be a convenient scapegoat for the government’s failure to stabilise the economy and stem the rot. Dar has been one of the harshest critics of the steps taken by the former finance minister who secured the bailout package needed to prevent an imminent default. Sitting in London, Dar did everything he could to undermine his predecessor. The ground was already prepared for his return.

More importantly, being a close confidant and more or less a member of the Sharif family, Dar has the blessings of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Within six months of its formation, the government will now have its second finance minister.

The new finance minister has apparently been tasked to regain his party’s lost ‘political capital’. But can Dar, despite his self-proclaimed ‘wizardry’, turn around an economy in a state of free fall? Sitting in London, Dar did everything he could to undermine the previous finance minister. His previous record as finance minister in Nawaz Sharif’s second and third governments has not been without blemish. He was a de facto deputy prime minister in Sharif’s last government. Besides his main responsibility of dealing with the economy, he also headed dozens of government committees dealing with issues ranging from the economy and politics to legal matters.

During his previous term, his controversial efforts to control the exchange rate by pumping dollars into the market worsened Pakistan’s current account deficit problem and were also the reason for the country going back to the IMF for a bailout in 2019.

It may not be possible for Dar to use the same prescription to contain the free fall of the rupee today, with foreign exchange reserves already in a precarious situation.A more serious challenge for him would be to bring down the runaway inflation that is being driven by both internal and external factors. A weak government with limited political control and little fiscal space is hardly in a position to undertake any major reforms. Being in an IMF programme with stringent conditionalities will make it harder for the incoming finance minister to deliver on his promises.

Dar has also been known for his tendency to control regulatory bodies including the State Bank. But with a new rule protecting the autonomy of the State Bank (a part of IMF conditionalities), it may be extremely difficult for him to manipulate the exchange rate as he did in the past. The challenges for the returning ‘economic czar’ are extremely daunting in the current economic and political milieu. His pledge to turn around a sick economy within a few months — before the next elections — will be severely tested.

Dar’s return means more than just a change of guard at the finance ministry. Unlike Miftah Ismail, he has the backing of not only PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif but also other senior party leaders. That may change the power balance within the government. His return to the most powerful cabinet position would certainly strengthen the former prime minister’s control over the government’s policy-framing process on important national issues.

As in the previous PML-N government, this time too he might act as deputy prime minister, taking his direction from Nawaz Sharif. That could make Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extremely uncomfortable, raising serious questions about who wields the real authority in guiding the policies of the PML-N-led government. It is evident that all major decisions are taken in London rather than Islamabad. Hence it was not surprising that the decision regarding Dar’s appointment was apparently made in the meeting between the Sharif brothers in London recently. According to media reports, the meeting, which was also attended by some cabinet ministers and other Sharif family members, discussed the party’s future course of action.

The latest audio leaks saga shows that even minor decisions, for example, which ‘resigning’ PTI MNA is to be de-seated, requires Nawaz Sharif’s approval. The very optics of Shehbaz Sharif making two trips to London within days and consulting his elder brother and other family members is disconcerting, and also raises eyebrows because the prime minister was out of the country although tens of millions of people at home were suffering the consequences of one of the worst natural calamities to have struck Pakistan. How can we expect the international community to respond to our appeal for support to deal with the calamity when the government doesn’t seem serious about fully mobilising its own resources? It makes it much harder for the ruling party and the government to regain their ‘lost political capital’. Dar is not likely to perform any miracles to salvage a deteriorating economy. The existing polarised political environment and growing opposition pressure have further complicated the situation. Yet the PDM government doesn’t seem to have any understating of the gravity of the crisis. A massive cabinet is not expected to deliver on key challenges confronting the country. Many of the ministers, advisers and special assistants do not even have a portfolio or have not been assigned any responsibility. They are a huge burden on the exchequer during a serious financial crunch. Th

Education in Balochistan under threat

 

Maria Nadir

Education in Balochistan under threat. Balochistan is one of the under privileged provinces of Pakistan that has been struggling to seek its basic needs and rights to be equally facilitated with other provinces of Pakistan. Despite being the largest province of Pakistan in geography and smallest in number, the population inside is suffering their basic rights such as: education, health facilities, employment and sanitation etc.

What I focus here is that where countries of the world are investing in education and where the investment in education sector has guided those countries to prosperity and up to the demands of modern world, the dearth of such investments and focus makes the situation, in Pakistan in general and Balochistan in particular, more appalling. Quetta, the capital of Balochistan is at least facilitated with education facilities containing very weak standard education system. The rest 32 districts suffer with no school space even. If there exists any, students travel for long distances to reach the nearby schools. In addition, a number of teachers were either target killed or have fled the province for search of security. And lastly, lack of awareness among the natives led to another number of students out of schools even if it is available.

There is always equal to no investment on education by government authorities and electable, both on provincial and national level. Each year budgets are allocated for education purposes but invisible when seen its fruit on ground. If it is documented that 17% of its budget is allocated for education, it has never been accounted for investigation nor has the public ever known to the facts and figures behind such investment.

Local NGOs, international NGOs and UN organizations worked with different perspectives/approaches to improve the neglected education; but, in a more generalized way, failed to do so. There is no transparency in the budgets spent on education sector nor it has any continuity with long term plans to carry initiatives and maintain it through a policy until it gets better. Girl’s education in Balochistan

Although illiteracy in Pakistan as a whole stands at 80% and growing, the literacy rate among rural women in Balochistan is bleaker. It is estimated that less than 2% of rural female in Balochistan are literate. Literate and illiterate traditions assign the women certain responsibilities such as cooking food, cleaning the house, child-bearing and rearing, and all other domestic support needed by her husband and other family members. The benefits of education for girls in rural Balochistan have only recently being recognized.

Ratio of girl’s education over all in Baluchistan, as per Alif-Ailan, is only 15% compare to the 37% male education.

Distance to school is an issue not only for girls but for boys as well. However, the nature and extent of issue is dominantly different considering the local value system, cultural norms, traditional beliefs and concerns for security related to adolescent girls which often lead to exclusion of girls from school in some cases.

Education in Pakistan

According to a research, the largest education service delivery system is managed by the government of Pakistan. Among this, 38% is managed by private schooling system and the very least number is covered by NGOs.

In a research according to International Rescue Committee IRC, there are 63 million school going aged children in Pakistan. In which 42% attend government schools which is almost 27 million. 32% or over 20 million children are out of school & 317,323 schools in the country equal to 38% are private schools. When it comes to Balochistan, the numbers are more horrifying. According to the statistics of Alif-Ailaan, out of total population of the province, 27 million children need to be in school. Among this, only 9 million children are attending school and the rest are deprived of opportunity of going to school. Out of 12347 schools, only 6% are higher schools. According to Alif-Ailan, 216 schools are not functional. Rest of the schools consist of single room where 14% of teachers receive their monthly stipends without giving their services.

Challenges/ Barriers

One of the biggest challenges to education in Balochistan is poverty. In a geography where people lacks basic facilities of life and where people are deprived from standards of life, education is always secondary to them. Secondly, the government has always kept education sector at pace when it comes to allocating a sum total amount for its development. And when the allocated budget is on board, it is again filtered among the various stakeholders and corruption finds its way. Thirdly, and as discussed earlier, the existence of no proper awareness among the people in both urban and rural areas of the province makes the situation more worsening and leads to gender inequality in assessing education as the fourth challenge. Education for both, and female equally is never considered in rural areas of the province.

Lastly, and above all, there is no policy on behalf of the government that might tend to provide equal access to education beyond gender. The lack of infrastructure plus updated curriculum along with trained teachers is another challenge to the long list of challenges.

What could be done?

An appropriate portion of funding for education is primary to any society. But, what is more significant in case of Baluchistan is that the sort of statistics needs to be properly used, audited, accounted and documented. I assume that the sort of allocated budget if used sincerely and purposely, it would indeed lessen the kind of deprivation among the masses and a reasonable number of population will benefit from it. Additionally, transparency on both provincial as well as local level might add to the benefit.

Moreover, linking schools with higher education is another need of the hour. It would help in finding admission opportunities for students for their higher studies. Besides, modern text books along with well qualified teachers might prove more organic for the creation of a class of educated youth of the province. Transport allowance both for teachers and students managed by district education offices would lessen the distance problem. Not to remain un-emphasized “transparency and consistency” would led to at least play the part for betterment.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/987861/education-in-balochistan-under-threat/

#Pakistan - Bilawal Bhutto said that Pakistan opposes any reforms that expand the United Nations Security Council to bring India into the fold

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday that Pakistan opposes any reforms that expand the United Nations Security Council to bring India into the fold.

Pakistan’s UN mission and its allies have worked to foil such efforts repeatedly and even quite recently as well, the foreign minister said adding that the UN reforms are a possibility but expanding the Security Council membership would not be a correct reform. Addressing a press conference at the Pakistan Embassy, Bilawal also said climate crisis would be one issue where Pakistan would be willing to work with India and other countries. He said that the 10 climate stressed nations should become one voice to press developed countries to form a green financing mechanism.Responding to a question about forming a regional bloc for the purpose, the foreign minister said, “With all the caveats that I have already given, principally it’s right, that on climate change issue we should work together. When I urge the US and China to work together on this, I should have the moral strength to admit that whatever the differences, India and Pakistan should work together on this topic too.”

He further said, “We have difficulties, we don’t have a reciprocal partner over there, August 2019 has made it impossible for us to engage, a whole host of reasons, but if there is any one area where on a principal basis, not only Pakistan and India -- but other powers and other countries that don’t necessarily get along -- this is perhaps the one issue that we should regardless of everything else be working towards combating [climate change], because whatever have seen, what we have experienced, I would not wish this upon my worst enemy.”

Bilawal said that Imran Khan government’s policies had hurt Pakistan, its people and its foreign policy but over the last six months the country’s relations with other countries, including the US, had significantly improved.

He said that Imran Khan’s demands were not about restoring democracy or that civil supremacy should prevail, his demands had been that the establishment should not play its constitutional role but a controversial role to bring him back into power.

Referring to the cipher message that was sent from the Pakistani Embassy here that Imran Khan later termed “foreign conspiracy to topple his government”, the foreign minister said that Asad Majeed, the former ambassador to the US, was merely doing his job by sending a telegram, whereas it was Imran Khan who did an irresponsible thing. “I expect my ambassadors to tell me facts, and they should have confidence that whatever they’re reporting through telegram communication would remain classified and secret between the ministry and embassy,” Bilawal said, adding when Imran Khan is at fault and punishing Asad Majeed would be unfair.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a meeting with Senator Robert Menendez, Chairman US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, lauded the US assistance for flood relief, saying that magnitude of the disaster necessitated sustained and long-term cooperation.

The foreign minister shared with Chairman Menendez impact of the devastation caused by the floods. He underscored that it was a compound crisis with humanitarian, health, food security and economic dimensions. He urged personal leadership of Chairman Menendez in mobilising support in the US Congress, which historically had stood by the people of Pakistan during such natural disasters. The foreign minister said that the flood crisis provided an opportunity to Pakistan to build back better, greener and resilient infrastructure.

Given the huge investment required, Pakistan viewed the US government and private sector as important partners in this task. Chairman Menendez conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the people and the Government of Pakistan on the devastation caused by the floods.

He assured his support in enabling Pakistan to overcome this challenge. He said the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Pakistan and the US was an important milestone.Both countries had achieved a lot working together. Chairman Menendez praised the Pakistani diaspora’s role in strengthening Pakistan-US ties. He underscored the importance of Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s regular engagement with the foreign minister.Both sides also discussed peace and stability in the region, including Afghanistan, Indian repression in IIOJK and its illegal actions of August 5, 2019. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a meeting with Senator James Risch, Ranking Member US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, highlighted the ongoing devastating impact of the floods in Pakistan, which resulted in more than one-third of the country being submerged in water.

The floods affected 33 million people, more than the population of Australia, the foreign minister stressed. Appreciating the $66.1 million US assistance, he highlighted “Pakistan needs much more as initial estimates indicate damages of more than $30 billion.”

The foreign minister underscored the challenges being faced by the affected population, including impending health catastrophes, particularly outbreaks of malaria, dengue and water-borne diseases in the affected population, food insecurity and more. He emphasised Pakistan is a victim of climate change despite being minimally responsible for greenhouse emissions. Pakistan is committed to building back better and greener climate resilient infrastructure but the scale of calamity necessitated international support, Bilawal said and added that the US Congress had historically stood by Pakistan in natural disasters and urged continuing cooperation.

Referring to people in waist-deep waters searching for signs of their devastated towns, the senator empathised with the foreign minister on the devastation wreaked by the floods. Both sides also discussed regional issues, including the need for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. The foreign minister invited the senator to visit Pakistan to witness the first-hand impact of the floods.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/995806-pakistan-opposes-unsc-membership-to-india-bilawal