Wednesday, February 10, 2021
#Balochistan: The lesser children of God
By: Munaj Gul Muhammad
Visiting Quetta city (The capital of Balochistan) in the end of December_2020 and on the Eve of new year_2021 left a cloud of confusions in my mind as after coming across to a child almost aged 13 to 14 appealing to every passer-by to give him a small amount of money to have a living. His eyes were shedding tears, but no one could deep feel pity on him. Although, everyone was busy in his own life. He seemed very hapless. There was no-one to lead him a happy life filled with pleasures and happiness. The sheer bliss of God no more remained an option for him. He was dwelling with troubles and sufferings in the richest province of Pakistan_ Balochistan.
In confronting the small boy near Saleem Complex Quetta, was the day that left a myriad of questions which remained unanswered until today. Being the sons of the most blessed soil; they (poor children) are yet living a hard-time in the twenty first century. He is not the only boy who I confronted in Quetta, but there are also a lot of such ignored children who everyone confronts in many places in the province; and they witness that the innocent children, in the province, are always left in the lurch in diverse circumstances.
Almost, the 13-year-old boy, was wearing torn clothes and shoes. Having a good jacket in the month of January (the coldest month in Quetta city) was out of his access owing to poverty leaving out other needed facilities.
There are a handful number of such children who are having nothing to wear_ in covering their bodies in the winter season.He (the innocent and small boy) is still in the same condition. For the government-in-run would never pay the attention to the issues faced by the paupers. It pinpoints the fact that the province is blessed with most of the natural resources like gas, gold, silver, coil and etc, but the residents of the province are deprived of a single living.
Gwadar: CPEC is another project towards the development of Balochistan, but in reality, CPEC has not given a single benefit to the locals of the city-port. There are legion children in the city who are working as labour and their dreams of future in reaching good positions are squashed. CPEC has never been a beneficial project for Baloch. Baloch are ignored in the project.
Tracing back to the year_2018, I had a visit to Gwadar and seeing the worst living conditions of locals left me tearful.
Analogously, I confronted a star-crossed boy whose bright dreams were buried alive. Other than being ignored from the government, the poor children are abused, beaten and neglected in every place wherever they visit in begging money to save their lives as there are no other option for them to opt.
Karim Baloch, 32, a resident of Turbat says, ” There are many children who are busy in complaining to God. For the loved creatures human of Lord are brutally killing one another, ignoring every single pauper and most importantly, are abusing others one way to other. “I no more wish to remain alive in such a society where right of every downtrodden child is snatched.” He said in having tears in his beautiful eyes.
Albeit, the Article 11 of Pakistan Constitution 1973 says,” Slavery is non-existent and forbidden and no law shall permit or facilitate its introduction into Pakistan in any form. All forms of forced labour and traffic in human beings are prohibited and no child below the age of fourteen years shall be engaged in any factory, mine or any other hazardous employment. ” Besides the said statement in shape of the constitutional article, there is seen no law implemented to provide the basic rights to the citizens.
The federal and provincial government had better implement the laws of the country to protect the residents to face no violation in the country. The children are the amiable person who can help the country out in any form of development.
#Balochistan: large scale military offensives, six killed, several including women and children abducted
Pakistani military has been carrying out large scale offensives in Kohlu-Sibbi and Harnai bordering regions since Monday morning.
Sources informed Balochwarna News that at least six helicopters took part in latest offensives on Monday in mountainous regions of Koh-e-Dungan, Gullo Shah, Koryak, Beji Kaor and Bareli regions.
The ground forces backed by helicopters have indiscriminately shelled the houses of Marri Baloch nomads as a result at least six persons have been killed and several others wounded.
Pakistan military has also arrested several people including women and children, loaded their hundreds of livestock on military trucks and took them to military bases in Harnai.
Two men killed during military offensives on Monday have been named a Maoran Kalwani Marri and Mureed Kalwani Marri, the identity of the other victims and the exact number of casualties could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report due to lack of communication system as the affected areas remain under the siege of Pakistani forces.
Pakistani armed forces also abducted several people including women and children during Monday’s aggression and shifted them to Harnai.
Two of abducted men have been named as Deen Hamd Marri and Hamo Marri who were critically injured due to the indiscriminate shelling by Pakistani forces.
Sources also reported that two more helicopters have been seen flying toward Koh-e-Dungan on Tuesday morning and the ground forces remained stationed in the areas.
There have also been reports of clashes between Baloch freedom fighters and Pakistani forces after the military offensives against unarmed civilian populations.
https://balochwarna.com/2021/02/09/balochistan-large-scale-military-offensives-six-killed-several-including-women-and-children-abducted/
Did Iran Carry Out a ‘Surgical Strike’ Inside Pakistan?
By Umair Jamal
A recent news report is unlikely to be accurate, not the least because it goes against established patterns of behavior by both countries.
Over the past week, media has been rife with reports of an Iranian operation inside Pakistan’s territory to free Iranian soldiers. The news, which was first reported by the Anadolu Agency (AA) and later picked up by Pakistani and Indian media, claimed that Iran freed two soldiers in an intelligence-led operation inside Pakistan’s territory.
“A successful operation was carried out last Tuesday night to rescue two kidnapped border guards who were taken as hostages by Jaish ul-Adl organization two and a half years ago,” AA said citing Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a source. The statement further noted that the freed soldiers were successfully transferred back to Iran.
India’s top news outlets, including Hindustan Times, India Today and Times of India, portrayed the said report as a “surgical strike” inside Pakistan. However, in Pakistan, not too many news outlets covered the story.
There are many reasons to believe that the reported military operation by Iran didn’t take place. For years, active communication channels between the two countries’ militaries and civilian authorities have ensured that such a situation does not eventuate.
To begin with, Iran’s government has not officially said anything about the reported military operation. Pakistan, on the other hand, has denied all such reports by terming them mere propaganda. On Monday, the spokesperson of Pakistan’s military categorically said: “The news regarding Iran [conducting a military operation in Pakistan] is absolutely false.”
Over the years, Pakistan and Iran have blamed each other for not doing enough to root out militants allegedly hiding across the border between the two countries. Iran on its part has usually conveyed its frustration over militant groups, particularly Jaish al-Adl’s hideouts in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. In some cases, Pakistan’s military has freed Iranian soldiers in Balochistan. In 2019, for instance, Pakistan’s military recovered four Iranian soldiers who were abducted by Jaish al-Adl.
Over the years, Iran has warned of a military operation in Pakistan. However, these threats appear to be for domestic political consumption while also signaling Tehran’s concerns. Following the abduction of Iranian soldiers in 2014, Tehran warned that it could send troops to Pakistan to free its soldiers. Back then, Iran also summoned Pakistan’s charge d’affaires to demand Islamabad “act firmly against the leaders and members of the terrorist group who have fled into Pakistan.” In 2019, Iran warned that Pakistan would “pay a heavy price” for allegedly harboring militants who killed 27 of its elite Revolutionary Guards in a suicide bombing.
In Pakistan, these threats have drawn serious response, indicating that Islamabad is not going to accept them at any cost. Pakistan has condemned such statements from Iran and has made it clear that Iran cannot carry out military operations in Pakistan. In 2017, Pakistan’s foreign office summoned Iran’s ambassador after the head of the Iranian armed forces threatened to carry out raids inside Pakistan.
Apparently, efforts have been in place to contain the situation posed by militants on Pakistan-Iran border region and shield it from leaving an impact on the bilateral relationship. In 2019, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Iran in an attempt to find a solution for the lingering militancy problem on the border region. “We agreed to increase the security cooperation of the two countries, our border forces, our intelligence forces,” Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said after meeting Khan, adding the two sides will also “form a joint quick reaction force on the border of the two countries for fighting terrorism.”
Khan, in his remarks, said that “We trust that both countries will not have terrorist activities from their soil… We will not allow any damage to your country from our soil.”
“The most important reason why I’m here, Mr. President,” Khan said, addressing Rouhani, “is because I felt that the issue of terrorism was going to … increase differences between our countries.”
In June 2020, Pakistan carried out a massive military operation against terrorists near the country’s border with Iran. Pakistan is also fencing its 900-kilometer long border with Iran in an effort to control cross-border incursion of terrorists. In 2020, Pakistan’s army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, phoned his Iranian counterpart Major General Mohammad Bagheri to discuss the fencing of the border and the recent attacks on Pakistan’s security forces near Iran’s border.
Meanwhile, complaints of cross-border attacks go both ways. Following an attack in Balochistan in April 2020, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi noted that the militants behind the attack came from Iran. Over the last few months, militant attacks on Pakistan’s security forces in Balochistan have increased significantly.
Despite the alarming situation in the border region, apparently a status quo has prevailed whereby both countries have tried to contain the situation while conveying their mutual frustration to each other. Under such circumstances, it is unlikely that Iran would carry out a unilateral military operation inside Pakistan as that would upset the delicate situation. Moreover, it makes sense that Tehran would share intelligence with Pakistan, as in the past. It’s possible that shared intelligence led to the Iranian soldiers being freed by Pakistan’s military.
https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/did-iran-carry-out-a-surgical-strike-inside-pakistan/
#Pakistan - Justice Isa questions PM Imran’s position on uplift grants for legislators
On Tuesday, the apex court constituted a five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed, and served notices on the prime minister’s principal secretary, Cabinet Division secretary, finance secretary, federal and provincial advocate generals, and provincial chief secretaries.
However, Justice Isa on Wednesday noted that a letter submitted by the premier’s principal secretary to the top judicial forum “did not contain the answers to the court’s questions”.
“The letter does not have answers to the court’s questions. It seems the prime minister has not read the court’s order properly,” the judge said.
In January, Prime Minister Imran announced a grant of Rs500 million for each member of the national and provincial assemblies under sustainable development goals to enable them to carry out development schemes for their voters.
However, last week, Justice Isa took notice of the development, warning of legal proceedings if the move was found to be in contravention of the Constitution.
On the occasion, he had asked Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan to update the court on the issue based on the government’s response.
However, Khan responded he would update the court after receiving instructions from the government and further reassured that “whatever action is taken will be in the light of the law, Constitution and legal precedent.”
Subsequently, Justice Isa referred the matter to the top judge for the formation of a bench.
On Wednesday, all provinces submitted written replies to the court except for Sindh. When asked, the Sindh government’s counsel informed the court the provincial government had not given development funds to any lawmakers.
“Sindh government should have submitted a written answer,” CJP Gulzdar replied.
Meanwhile, AG Khan told the court the grant of development funds was “linked to the Constitution”, adding that the prime minister knew that “government funds cannot be used wrongly”.
“No member of the National Assembly will be given money [directly],” he added.
According to the procedure, the funds do not get issued to the individual MP or MPA. They get assigned to a project through a robust mechanism.
Justice Isa questioned who had drafted the reply submitted by Principal Secretary Azam Khan. To this, Khan replied that it was “a matter between the lawyer and his client”.
“The letter does not have proper English, it does not answer the court’s questions. It seems like the prime minister has tried to keep the door open for [granting] funds,” Justice Isa said.
He also remarked that there was a “storm of information” from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting every day.
“Either the prime minister should remain firm on what he said or admit he had made a mistake. Why is the prime minister hiding behind his secretary? The entire media published the news and the prime minister is silent,” the judge said.
Khan replied if the prime minister “started refuting every news himself, he would not be able to do any other work”.
The court ordered the Sindh government to submit its reply today.
The bench also ordered the finance secretary to submit a clear answer to the court, directing that the report should also have the premier’s signature on it.
The case was adjourned till Thursday.
https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/02/10/justice-isa-questions-pm-imrans-position-on-uplift-grants-for-legislators/
Bilawal Bhutto condemned the arrests and "violence of the Law Enforcement Agencies against government employees
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto condemned the arrests and "violence of the Law Enforcement Agencies against government employees".
In a statement issued by PPP's media cell, the party chairman demanded the "selected government" to accept the legitimate demands of the government employees and release all arrested individuals.
"Instead of listening to the demands of poor employees, the state has resorted to using power against them," he said, adding that the PPP had “doubled” employees’ salaries during its term.
Claiming that the incumbent government has made a record increase in the electricity prices instead of giving incentives to employees, he said that he "stands in solidarity with the protesters."
Condemning the attack on protesters, former president Asif Ali Zardari also said that PM Imran Khan "cannot do anything for the masses except exploiting them."
https://www.geo.tv/latest/334261-police-fire-teargas-at-protesting-govt-employees-in-islamabad
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemns shelling and arrests of protesting government employees in Islamabad
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed solidarity with the protesting employees and asked the government to accept their genuine demands without any delay.