Kunduz: A Political And Strategic Failure – OpEd

By Nasurullah Brohi 

The recent besiege and takeover of Kunduz from Afghan forces showed a political victory over the Afghan and ISAF forces in fact it was seen as an indication of strategic failure at their part though it happened in a period of less than one year of the drawdown of U.S and allies’ forces.

Most alarming is the fact that only 500 Taliban fighters drove over 7,000 Afghan National Security Forces out of the Kunduz in a very short period of less than a day without any sturdy resistance. This in a broader spectrum raises questions about the success of the U.S and Afghan forces in the coming future and many analysts believe that the fall of Kunduz has unveiled many lies about the promises of delivering stability, security and an inclusive peace process.

This also proved that the Taliban are still highly effervescent that they can easily capture many other major cities. The northern province Kunduz has always a remained a stronghold of the Afghan Taliban. The Kunduz incident dramatically erupted at the time when the US military strategists were exploring variety of options about keeping the troops’ presence beyond the withdrawal deadline of 2016. However, the Afghan security officials claim that the Taliban insurgents have been pushed forward and the parts of Kunduz city have been cleared.

The Northern Kunduz Police Chief Quasim Jangal Bagh, claimed that the clearing operations is still underway and the Taliban are pushed forward to the Takhar –Kunduz highway and in the Dasht-e-Archi district of Kunduz.

The First Vice President of the Afghanistan General Abdul Rashid Dostum, also claimed that the government was aware of the plans of the Taliban attacks on Kunduz, Faryab, Helmand and Kunar provinces and he further claimed that the people in these areas should not think that we are careless and obviously we are ready to prevent their further penetration in other areas in the coming future.

During his recent visit to Russia, General Dostum emphasized that the Russia should help them by proving military equipment such as attack helicopters and long-range mortars and other latest weapons to the Afghan Security Forces in order to counter the Daesh and the Taliban militants.

Previously, the Taliban insurgents had assaulted on a prison of Ghazni province and released more than 350 most wanted Taliban insurgents and commanders and as a consequence it further has aggravated the situation and has brought serious concerns about the prevalent impulsive security situation in the country.

For some reasons, the partial failure of the Afghan strategy is also because of the U.S and its allies had been largely relying on their alignments with the corrupt warlord, drug-lords and corrupt politicians whereas, the current Unity Government under President Ashraf Ghani is still divided on many issues.

The matter of peace in Afghanistan in the near future seems obscure because of the breakthrough in the peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government and the Taliban demands of a complete withdrawal and the revoking all military and security accords with the foreign troops in Afghanistan.

The other side of speculation is also based on the hypothesis that the U.S and its allies are not that serious about the complete withdrawal of the ISAF forces and therefore, the ‘dragging-on’ policy will hardly bring complete peace in Afghanistan. Most importantly, the Afghan government and the Taliban had been engaged in a process of peace talks this summer and another round of talks under mediation of Pakistan was also expected whereby it was strongly believed that the two sides would reach at a consensus about seize fire and develop confidence building measures (CBMs) but unluckily the process was also halted with the revelation of the news about the death of Supreme Taliban leader and consequently the leadership crisis among Afghan Taliban.

It is worthwhile to note here that a over-delayed peace process between the two parties would further fuel the ongoing tension in the Country and ofcourse, at a point it will encourage some other militant groups to make their place in the Country. As an immediate neighbor, for Pakistan it is also the need of hour to play its effective role to revive the stalled peace process.

US troops to stay in Afghanistan in policy shift

President Barack Obama has confirmed plans to extend the US military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2016, in a shift in policy.

Speaking at the White House, he said the US would keep 5,500 troops in the country when he leaves office in 2017.

Originally all but a small embassy-based force were due to leave by the end of next year.

But the US military says more troops will be needed to help Afghan forces counter a growing Taliban threat.

There are currently 9,800 US troops stationed in Afghanistan. Last week, the top US military commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Campbell, said the US must consider extending its military presence there beyond 2016.

The US forces will be stationed in four locations - in Kabul, Bagram, Jalalabad and Kandahar.

The slowing of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan means that President Obama will not be able to bring home all US forces before his presidency ends.

A US review of its troop presence there has been under way for some months and is not directly linked to the Taliban's recent success in briefly seizing the town of Kunduz.

But that episode illustrated the continuing need for the US training and mentoring of Afghan forces.

With al-Qaeda again operating in Afghanistan and the so-called Islamic State gaining a foothold, Washington is also eager to retain a small number of bases from which it can mount counter-terrorist operations.

Whatever the hopes of a full US withdrawal, it now looks as though Washington is set to have a continuing military commitment to Afghanistan, where US air power in particular plays an essential role.

President Obama had previously planned to reduce the number of troops left in Afghanistan to about 1,000 by the time he left office in January 2017.

A statement from the US National Security Council said the change in policy was the "result of an extensive, months-long review", and after Mr Obama had consulted "with his full national security team and our Afghan partners".

"This announcement in no way changes the fact that our combat mission in Afghanistan has ended, and we will continue to undertake only two narrow missions: counterterrorism and training, advising, and assisting our Afghan partners," the statement went on.

Image copyrightAP

Image captionMore troops are needed, officials say, to counter a growing Taliban threat

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is expected to publicly welcome the move, as he had been pushing for a slower withdrawal of US troops to allow Afghan forces to be better trained and equipped.

US Gen John Campbell expressed concern last week over the "tenuous security situation" and said an enhanced military presence would be necessary if the Taliban were to be repelled.

He was speaking days after the Taliban briefly seized the northern city of Kunduz - their most spectacular military gain since being ousted from power in 2001.

Read more on Afghanistan:

• Crucial capture of Kunduz Taliban's biggest victory since 2001
• Who are the Taliban? Guide to the complexities and conflicts within the group
• Life after UK withdrawal Taliban extend influence in Helmand province

After the Taliban's surprise attack on Kunduz, Afghan government forces managed to retake control of key areas of the city with the aid of Nato special forces and US air strikes.

But the city's brief capture was seen as a setback for the Afghan authorities under pressure to show they can keep the country secure without the backing of international forces.

The south-eastern city of Ghazni has also seen fierce clashes between Taliban insurgents and US-trained Afghan troops in recent days.

Militant violence has increased across Afghanistan since Nato ended its combat mission there in December 2014, leaving a residual force - mainly US troops - used for training and counter-terrorism operations.

The shift in policy comes at the same time as three separate investigations - by the US, Nato and Afghan authorities - into a US air attack on an MSF-run hospital in Kunduz that killed 22 people.

The US said the bombing was a mistake, and President Obama later apologised.

NGO alert: international organisations in Pakistan under greater scrutiny

Naomi Larsson

Where: Pakistan

Who is affected: International NGOs (INGOs)

What happened: Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar announced new policy on 1 October requiring INGOs to apply to the Pakistani government in order to operate and raise funds within the country.

Under the Policy for the Regulation of INGOs in Pakistan, any unregistered groups will be banned from functioning inside the country. All INGOs currently working in Pakistan must re-register within 60 days, and the new INGO committee has 60 days to scrutinise the application. They will have sole power over approving registration, and will closely monitor the work of the organisations.

INGOs will then have to submit an annual plan of action, outlining all envisaged projects and budget. Their operations will be restricted to specific issues and certain geographical areas.

What are the implications? INGOs could be disbanded on the grounds of “involvement in any activity inconsistent with Pakistan’s national interests, or contrary to government policy.”

The policy is meant to secure greater accountability for INGOs, after Nisar claimedseveral international organisations have been involved in anti-state activities. But Human Rights Watch has warned it will worsen the “already deteriorating working climate” for these organisations.

Reactions: “Pakistan’s new rules allow the authorities to kick out international groups for anything they might do or say,” says Brad Adams, Asia director atHuman Rights Watch. “The regulations are an invitation to arbitrary use of power and will put at risk any international organisation whose work exposes government failures. This new policy harks back to an era of military rule when the government used phoney claims of threats to national security to muffle critical voices in civil society.”

At the time of publication, the High Commission for Pakistan had not responded to a request for comment on the policy.

Islamic State in Pakistan: Terror group takes on Taliban for supremacy in battle of the militants

By Ashraf Ali

Pakistan's army chief could not have been more blunt.

"Daesh (Islamic State) is a bigger threat than Al Qaeda," General Raheel Sharif declared during his recent address at London's Royal United Services Institute.

He added that "some elements" in Pakistan's capital Islamabad wanted to show allegiance to Islamic State.

The popular general's comments underscore IS's threat to regional security on the sub-continent, and its emerging links to established terror groups.

Militancy has changed its face many times in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region over recent decades — from Mujahid to Mullah, Taliban to Al Qaeda.

Now IS is spreading its message across the region.

"The self-styled Islamic State has expanded the war from physical to virtual spaces which has made the challenge of terrorism even more complex," Afghan security analyst Inayatullah Kakar says.

But IS's emergence in the region has not been without resistance.

The Afghan Taliban has been fighting for every metre of its territory and scores of people have died in the continuing clashes between the two groups.

Haroon Rashid, editor of the BBC in Pakistan, says IS is taking advantage of perceived Taliban weaknesses.

"IS wanted to exploit the situation by capitalising on the internal differences within the top ranking Taliban leadership — first over the long absence and then after the news of the death of its reclusive leader, Mullah Omar," Mr Rashid says.

But, he adds, "the Taliban's recent takeover of the northern Kunduz province and its continuing efforts in the northern Badakhshan, Takhar and Baghlan provinces, as a show of strength with its new leader Mullah Akhtar Mansur, was a clear message to the rival group".

Key Taliban figures switch allegiance to Islamic State

While IS has had setbacks in Afghanistan, it has been able to attract some influential leaders from the Taliban's Pakistan wing (TTP).

Islamic State's Pakistan opening came when TTP commanders were left disgruntled in the wake of a recent power struggle.

PHOTO: Islamic State's manifesto has been distributed in provinces in Pakistan and Afghanistan. (Supplied: Ashraf Ali)

Six TTP commanders, including Hafiz Saeed Khan and spokesman Shahidullah Shahid, switched allegiance to IS early this year.

Hafiz Saeed, who was later appointed as head of IS in Pakistan, and deputies Abdul Rauf Khadim and Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost led the defections.

All three were killed in US drone attacks in Afghanistan, where some Taliban leaders fled following Pakistan's security crackdown earlier this year.

Critics claim Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has long been in denial over IS.

In the past few days he has said IS terror attacks in his country were, in fact, planned in Afghanistan.

But the arrest of two IS-affiliated terrorists in Pakistan's Punjab province last week points to a home-grown problem.

Senior counter-terrorism police superintendent Rana Shahid says one of the suspects, Shahid Farooqi, had been assigned to organise IS support.

Police seized a laptop with plans for the group's operations.

Security forces suspect IS involvement in the assassination of Punjab's home minister, Colonel Shuaja Khanzada, in a suicide attack in August. Seventeen people died and 23 were injured.

They believe Lashkar-e-Jhangvi — an anti-Shia terror group — collaborated with IS.

Interior ministry sources said Mr Khanzada was vulnerable following the killing of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi chief Malik Ishaq in July this year during a security crackdown on sectarian militants.

The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi agenda perfectly matches the ideological stance of the anti-Shia IS.

In May, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for killing 43 people when its men opened fire on a Karachi bus carrying passengers belonging to a religious minority — the Ismaili community.

English leaflets in the bus declared: "Advent of the Islamic State!" and accused the Ismaili community of "barbaric atrocities in Iraq and Yemen".

In December last year, a video emerged of female students from the Lal Mosque (Lal Masjid), which is linked to the Jamia-e-Hafsa madrassa in Islamabad, expressing their support for IS.

The burqa-clad women were chanting slogans and calling on people to join the ranks of IS to help the movement's goal of a caliphate.

The episode was a major blow to the government's counter-terrorism and de-radicalisation initiatives.

Pro-IS slogans have appeared on walls in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Bannu, urging IS's leadership to: "Move forward — we are with you!"

In some areas of Pakistan, pamphlets and stickers have emerged calling on the young to join the movement, while cars decorated with posters and the letters IS or ISIS are seen on the roads.

Concern now runs deep, including among those who have witnessed decades of unrest.

"The environment offers good grounds for disgruntled elements with a jihadi mindset to part ways with the Taliban and swell the ranks of Daesh in the time ahead," says retired Brigadier Said Nazir, a former army officer from the tension-torn tribal areas of Pakistan.

"We can see more defections down the road to IS," he warns.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-15/islamic-state-challenging-taliban-in-afghanistan-pakistan/6857050

U.S. Exploring Deal to Limit Pakistan’s Nuclear Arsenal

By DAVID E. SANGER

The Obama administration is exploring a deal with Pakistan that would limit the scope of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, the fastest-growing on earth. The discussions are the first in the decade since one of the founders of its nuclear program, Abdul Qadeer Khan, was caught selling the country’s nuclear technology around the world.

The talks are being held in advance of the arrival of Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in Washington next week. They focus on American concern that Pakistan might be on the verge of deploying a small tactical nuclear weapon — explicitly modeled on weapons the United States put in Europe during the Cold War to deter a Soviet invasion — that would be far harder to secure than the country’s arsenal of larger weapons.

But outside experts familiar with the discussions, which have echoes of the Obama administration’s first approaches to Iran on its nuclear program three years ago, expressed deep skepticism that Pakistan is ready to put any limitations on a program that is the pride of the nation, and that it regards as its only real defense against India.

The discussions are being led by Peter R. Lavoy, a longtime intelligence expert on the Pakistani program who is now on the staff of the National Security Council. White House officials declined to comment on the talks ahead of Mr. Sharif’s visit.

But the central element of the proposal, according to other officials and outside experts, would be a relaxation of the strict controls imposed on Pakistan by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a loose affiliation of nations that try to control the proliferation of weapons.

“If Pakistan would take the actions requested by the United States, it would essentially amount to recognition of rehabilitation and would essentially amount to parole,” said George Perkovich, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who has maintained contacts with the Pakistani nuclear establishment.

“I think it’s worth a try,” Mr. Perkovich said. “But I have my doubts that the Pakistanis are capable of doing this.”

David Ignatius, a columnist for The Washington Post, first disclosed the exploratory talks in a column a week ago. Since then, several other officials and outside experts have talked in more detail about the effort, although the White House has refused to comment.

The activity of Mr. Khan, who lives in retirement in a comfortable neighborhood in Islamabad after many years of house arrest, prompted more than a decade of American-led punishment of Pakistan’s nuclear enterprises. He ran what amounted to the world’s most sophisticated black market in the equipment needed to make nuclear fuel, and he did business with Iran, North Korea and Libya.

When Libya turned over the equipment it bought, in late 2003, it included a nearly complete design for one of China’s first nuclear weapons.

Pakistani officials denied that any of the country’s leaders knew of Mr. Khan’s black market activities, a story American officials did not believe because some of the equipment was shipped on Pakistani Air Force cargo planes. While Mr. Khan is not under formal restrictions today, he has not left Pakistan in years and has been prohibited from talking to most outsiders.

Even before entering office, President Obama was interested in addressing the Pakistani nuclear problem, considered by most proliferation experts to be the most dangerous in the world. But until now, most efforts to manage the problem have been covert.

During the Bush administration, the United States spent as much as $100 million on a highly classified program to help secure the country’s nuclear arsenal, helping with physical security and the training of Pakistani security personnel. Those efforts continued in the Obama years, with State Department, Energy Department and intelligence officials meeting secretly, in locales around the world, with senior Pakistani officials from the Strategic Plans Division that controls the arsenal.

They would use those sessions to argue to the Pakistanis that fielding the small, short-range nuclear weapons, which Pakistan designed to use against an invading Indian ground force, would be highly risky.

American officials have told Congress they are increasingly convinced that most of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is under good safeguards, with warheads separated from delivery vehicles and a series of measures in place to guard against unauthorized use. But they fear the smaller weapons are easier to steal, or would be easier to use should they fall into the hands of a rogue commander.

“All it takes is one commander with secret radical sympathies, and you have a big problem,” said one former official who dealt with the issue.

The message appears to have resonated; an unknown number of the tactical weapons were built, but not deployed. It is that problem that Mr. Lavoy and others are trying to forestall, along with preventing Pakistan from deploying some long-range missiles that could reach well beyond India.

But American leverage has been hard to find. Unlike Iran, Pakistan never signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the international agreement that prohibits nations, except for existing declared nuclear states like the United States, from possessing a nuclear arsenal. Pakistan is not alone in that distinction: India and Israel also have not signed.

(North Korea left the treaty two decades ago.)

Ordinarily, any country’s refusal to sign the treaty would preclude American nuclear cooperation. So Pakistani officials remain angry with the American decision to enter an agreement with India in 2005 allowing India to buy civil nuclear technology, even though it remains outside the treaty and put no limits on its nuclear program. Under that agreement, India’s nuclear infrastructure was split with a civilian program that is under international inspection, and a military program that is not. Pakistani officials have demanded the same arrangement.

That does not appear to be on the table. Instead, the United States is exploring ways to relax restrictions on nuclear-related technology to Pakistan, perhaps with a long-term goal of allowing the country to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which regulates the sale of the technology. That would be largely symbolic: Pakistan manages to import or make what it needs for its nuclear arsenal, and China has already broken ground on a $9.6 billion nuclear power complex in Karachi. Mr. Sharif presided over the ceremony.

Religious freedoms under threat in Pakistan: U.S. Senator

Marco Rubio wants that country to be designated as a 'Country of Particular Concern.'

A leading Republican Presidential candidate and Senator has called for Pakistan to be designated as a 'Country of Particular Concern' (CPC) after a U.S. State Department report expressed deep concern over the status of religious freedoms in the country.

“Religious freedom must be a bedrock of American foreign policy. The stakes are too high for anything less. We need to redouble our efforts to serve as a beacon for religious freedom around the world and press countries to implement policies that protect religious expression and worship,” Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement after the State Department released its annual report on International Religious Freedom for the year 2014. The State Department does not utilise the tools it has to name and shame violators of religious freedom such as the designation of CPC, he said.

Should be done annually

The administration should re-designate countries every year for their religious freedom violations, Mr. Rubio urged.

“In particular, countries such as Pakistan, Syria and Vietnam should be considered for a CPC designation, as has been repeatedly recommended by the independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom,” Mr. Rubio said.

‘Many governments complicit’

Noting that religious communities are under attack in the 21st century, Mr. Rubio said there were many governments that were complicit in religious repression by enforcing oppressive laws against religious minorities or standing idly by while minorities were persecuted for their beliefs.

“In Cuba, where the Ladies in White are beaten on their way to church, to Iran where an American pastor languishes in prison, to China where Christian churches are demolished and pictures of the Dalai Lama are banned, around the world religious freedom is being threatened,” he said.

‘Of concern to U.S.’

“These attacks on religious freedom are both a moral and strategic national security concern for the United States. Sadly this issue has been met with little urgency or vision on the part of the Obama administration — at precisely the time it’s most needed,” Mr. Rubio said.

#HajjStempede - Saudi defiance

Predictably, Saudi Arabia has responded to an unprecedented chorus from Islamic countries calling for a more collaborative management of Hajj after the Mina tragedy with typical disregard and nonchalance. A high ranking prince, Turki al-Faisal, was the first to break the official silence on the growing condemnation of Saudi Arabia’s fatal mismanagement, saying that Riyadh considers management of Hajj a matter of sovereignty. The Saudi regime derives its legitimacy from being the self-proclaimed “Custodian of the two Holy Mosques” and the prince was adamant that the country believes this to be a matter of privilege and that after spending billions of dollars to improve the conditions of Hajj, it was not going to give up that privilege to anyone else. Later, Saudi King Salman himself weighed in on the issue and dismissed the mounting criticism as merely “political exploitation” of the incident by “irresponsible” elements. The King further professed that the Saudi Arabian regime was ‘the servant of God’ and it would employ all of its capabilities to “provide the guests of God with comfort, security and safety”. He reaffirmed the statements of his relative and defied any possibility that the organisation of the immensely profitable Hajj would be taken away from Saudi Arabia.

For all the nice sounding talk of serving the “guests of God”, the aftermath of the Mina tragedy proves that talk to be distinctly hollow. The callousness with which victims and grieving families have been dealt; the lack of transparency about the alleged investigations being done about the incident; the failure to update the body count or release a breakdown of the casualties according to nationalities to facilitate information sharing; the mass burial of dead bodies; the disregard for missing people — there is an endless list of Saudi transgressions and a crushing lack of humanity that bellies any claims of feeling privilege at serving the “guests of God”. The Saudi regime is bereft of humility or conscience. Under the guise of purist Islam, it is a greedy capitalist enterprise at its worst. which sees no qualms in profiting off a holy event attended by millions from around the world even if it leads to horrific deaths of thousands. The “sovereign” right it claims over managing the Hajj is but an accident of geography and a consequence of colonial powers dividing up Middle Eastern countries and parcelling them out to their favoured stooges in the 1920s and 30s. The so-called holy regime has ever since its inception been propped up by western powers and has no innate right to monopolise governance over one of the key sites of Islam. Alas, despite the resounding criticism, the Muslim countries hardly have enough of a clout to pressurise the Saudi regime to cede ground. It can only be hoped that Saudi Arabia, despite its public defiance, learns lessons and ensures there is no repeat of Mina. 

Pakistan - PTI’s bankruptcy

The NA-122 by-election was advertised as many things in its run-up by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI): a referendum on the governance of Nawaz Sharif’s third tenure as Prime Minister, a vindication of Imran Khan’s constant campaigning against alleged rigging of the 2013 general elections, a battle for the future direction of politics in Punjab (and by extension Pakistan) and, as with all things PTI, a harbinger of change. However, outside of the frenzied supporters of the two duelling parties who treated the by-election as an existential matter, no one was really convinced that squabbling over a paltry single seat of parliament was worth all the hype. For many a PML-N victory in its historically strong constituency was a foregone conclusion, and even if PTI pulled off a favourable result, as it nearly did, one additional seat does not a government make. But if there was a hope attached to this by-election by concerned observers, it was that this election — conducted under stringent watch (except of course in the crucial matter of campaign financing) – would finally bring about the end of PTI’s counterproductive and derailing politics of mudslinging allegations. Alas, now that the dust of the by-election has settled, it has once again been frustratingly proved that PTI under the leadership of Imran Khan is a party thoroughly lacking in maturity, a democratic mindset,imagination and ideas. To employ the trite cricket analogies favoured by the national team’s former captain, it is a party that only knows one way to bat — i.e. swing wildly with its eyes closed — and has proved unable to adjust its technique according to changing playing conditions. Like a broken record, the rhetoric of PTI in the aftermath of the election has been the oft-repeated mantra of election rigging despite there being no credible evidence nor fingers being raised by concerned neutral parties. Immediately after the election, Imran Khan — sounding increasingly more paranoid — tweeted that PTI was not prepared for the apparently more refined and subtle rigging tactics of the PML-N and vowed that his party will be more vigilant the next time. Letters have been written by the losing candidate Aleem Khan and PTI Punjab’s organizer Chaudhry Sarwar to the Returning Officer (RO) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) respectively arguing for a recount and claiming that the election suffered from many irregularities like the transfer or deletion of names of prospective voters from the constituency’s list. The ECP has denied these allegations and has countered that registration of voters was frozen days in advance of the election, according to the rules. Despite the pre-election promise to accept the election’s result with dignity, it seems that PTI will cry foul until the moment it gets precisely what it desires. This lack of maturity and respect for due process reflects a party incapable of pragmatism or evolution, and the blame for this arrested development lies squarely on the shoulders of PTI’s egotistical leader.

After 2011, Imran Khan and his party became for the first time a genuinely credible player in the arena of politics ever since the inception of PTI in the mid-1990s. This belated elevation to the political mainstream for the charismatic sportsman came on the back of sloganeering for change, a promise to stand up against the status quo and quash corruption. Imran Khan was hailed by many analysts, who may have had an issue with his politics, for at least one thing: he mobilised a segment of society (the youth, the women, the upwardly mobile urbanites) that had been disillusioned by the politics of Pakistan and energised them with conveniently vague ideas of a ‘revolution’. A party completely lacking in any coherent ideology but one teeming with optimism, PTI came to reflect for its myriads of supporters whatever hopes and dreams they wished to project onto it and its main star. So PTI was being advertised by its multitudes of voracious supporters in different forums as a party of several contradictory values: a progressive party, an Islamic religious organisation, an anti-corruption party, an anti-status quo party, a pro-business party, a pro-welfare party, a pro-army party, an anti-imperialist party. In truth, the malleable ambiguity of its image was simply because it has no distinctive vision and now that the sheen of Imran Khan’s past achievements and personal charm has started to wear off and the prophecy of change has failed to materialise in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the reality of the party has become abundantly clear. It was and it remains a centre-right party, not dissimilar to the N-League, and the only endgame the PTI has in mind is for Imran Khan to come to power as if it is his inalienable destiny. The PTI is therefore a transparently unfit party with a politically bankrupt core.

Pakistan - PM protecting Punjab’s interests at the cost of smaller provinces: ANP

Awami National Party central president Asfandyar Wali Khan on Wednesday said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and some other quarters were interested in protecting interests of Punjab at the cost of small federating units.

“The message is being given that Pakistan is Punjab and Punjab is Pakistan,” he said, warning consequences of such policy would be dangerous for the country as the ANP would protect rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Pakhtuns.

Asfandyar was addressing the ANP provincial executive council here at Bacha Khan Markaz on Wednesday, said a statement.

He spoke on various issues including Kalabagh dam, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, changing scenario in Afghanistan, terrorism, and reforms in tribal areas.

The ANP leader came down heavily on the federal government for ‘changing’ stand on Kalabagh dam and CPEC, saying like Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif was also in the habit of making U-turn on policy statements and announcements.

“Besides external challenges, Pakistan is facing internal threats too. Unfortunately, our rulers and some institutions are desirous to build Kalabagh dam,” the statement quoted Asfandyar as saying.

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Asfandyar Wali castigates Nawaz Sharif for changing stand on Kalabagh, CPEC

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The ANP leader also said some quarters including Nawaz Sharif had developed consensus on the CPEC and adopted policy to protect interests of Punjab.

Expressing serious reservations about the CPEC, he said Nawaz Sharif had changed his stand and that the federal ministers were violating unanimous decisions of the All-Party Conference held in Islamabad.

Asfandyar said it was the unanimous decision of the APC to start construction of western route of the CPEC to protect interests of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but that decision was being violated.

About the issue of Kalabagh dam, he said very powerful and authoritarian regimes could not build the dam, then who they (Nawaz Sharif and his team) were to put up the controversial water reservoir.

The ANP leader said his party had a very clear policy and stand on Kalabagh dam, Fata, terrorism and National Action Plan, and would protect all constitutional rights of the province and Pakhtuns at all costs.

About the situation in Afghanistan, Asfandyar said Islamabad and Kabul were on the path of reconciliation after the visit of Afghan president Ashraf Ghani to Pakistan, but that spirit was not maintained.

“It seems that some quarters have re-adopted their previous policies regarding Afghanistan,” he said, adding that peace in Afghanistan was inevitable for peace and prosperity in Pakistan.

The ANP leader said Afghanistan had changed and that the time had gone when the Taliban or any other force was imposed on Afghan people.

He said it was imperative to abandon the policy to use force and soil against each other.

Regarding Fata, Asfandyar said the ANP was in favour of drastic and genuine legal, political and administrative reforms in the country’s northwest tribal region.

He said his party’s policy was to merge Fata with KP and bring the neglected belt to the mainstream politics.

The ANP leader called for the implementation of National Action Plan in letter and spirit in order to eliminate terrorism and extremism from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the entire region.

He said his party did not support violence and negative politics and believed in political struggle.

Asfandyar also criticised policies of the coalition government in KP and said bad governance was one of the serious issues in the province.

He said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had expelled the Qaumi Watan Party from the government over corruption but recently accommodated the latter in the ruling coalition.

The ANP leader said Imran Khan didn’t accept defeat and began hue and cry about rigging when his party lost polls.

He said when the PTI won polls, only then he (Imran) termed the process transparent and fair.

#SilkRoadConference - Third-generation Bhutto keeps faith in China

SHAFQAT ALI

The third-generation Bhutto, regarded by many as the future leader of Pakistan, who believes China is a future global leader is in Beijing, having carried with him the legacy of his family and the party’s pro-China policy. Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari left for China via Dubai yesterday to participate in the Asian Political Parties Special Conference on the Silk Road to be held from October 14 to October 16 in Beijing.

He is accompanied by former ambassador to the United States Senator Sherry Rehman, former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi and Political Secretary Jameel Soomro. The PPP delegation is likely to return by the end of the week. The Communist Party of China is holding the Asian Political Parties’ Special Conference on Silk Road in Beijing. The conference, themed New Vision of the Silk Road, Actions for Common Development, shall include three panels with their respective topics, political leadership: new consensus for political parties, people-to-people bonds: new dialogue between civilisations and economic integration: new impetus for development as well as deliberations on regional economic cooperation.

“Bilawal plans to interact with the Chinese politicians on the sidelines. The PPP chief is a strong advocate of enhancing the Pak-China ties to new levels,” a close aide of the young Bhutto told The Nation. “We will also mingle with the people coming from other countries during our stay,” he added. Another PPP leader said originally Asif Ali Zardari was thinking of visiting China, but because the top Chinese leadership will not be holding individual meetings on the sidelines, the plan was dropped.

“We decided to send Bilawal and Sherry Rehman. It is a party leaders’ meeting and Bilawal fits in as the PPP chairman,” the party leader said. Asked about the activities of the PPP chief on the sidelines, he said, “There will, of course, be meetings of the party leaders, but Bilawal would have hoped to meet the Chinese President or the Prime Minister which was not possible during this specific visit.” The members of over 50 political parties and organisations from more than 30 countries will participate in the conference. Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed will represent Pakistan.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a vital part of the Silk Road Initiative – a vision and strategy of China to expand cultural and economic ties with Eurasian countries through cooperation and communication. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative to promote connectivity, cooperation and common prosperity along the ancient land and maritime Silk Road trade routes.

The belt and road routes run through Asia, Europe and Africa, connecting the vibrant East Asia economic circle at one end and the developed European economic circle on the other, and encompassing countries with huge potential for economic development, according to an official publication by the Chinese government. Also in 2013, the Pakistani-China governments agreed to launch a landmark project called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which will connect Pakistan’s deep sea Gwadar Port with China’s Xinjiang region.

Both Pakistan and China are discussing a number of mega projects under the rubric of the economic corridor in several fields like energy, infrastructure and connectivity which would revitalise Pakistan’s economy. The economic corridor, with a total investment of $ 46 billion, is a new glaring example of the close friendship between Pakistan and China. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s grandfather, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, laid the foundation of a strong friendship with China. As a foreign minister, he signed the Pakistan-China border agreement on March 2, 1963, followed by the Border Protocol in 1965.

These two agreements alone were instrumental in paving the way for a strong, durable, and multi-dimensional relationship in the years to come. During the period when most Western countries were in a bid to isolate China, Pakistan took the bold step of being the first non-socialist country to sign an air services agreement with China in August 1963 that linked China with other countries starting a regular air service from April 29, 1964. It was Bhutto who then provided a clear and pragmatic long-term framework for Pakistan’s relations with China. As a result, China became the principal source of military hardware and technology for Pakistan in addition to its involvement and support for important projects in the defence, heavy industries and infrastructure development.

Later, his mother Benazir Bhutto worked very hard to maintain the tradition of a special relationship with China laid down by her illustrious father, which in a way were sort of frozen during the regime of the military ruler Ziaul Haq.  She first visited China in 1972 on a state visit, accompanying her father who was President of Pakistan at that time. During that memorable visit, she had the opportunity of meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai and his wife. And even before her coming to power as prime minister on December 1, 1988, Benazir Bhutto had announced her first official foreign visit would be to China. Living up to her words, she did visit China in February 1989.

And Bilawal’s father Asif Ali Zardari, then President, appeared at a Pakistan-China renewable energy forum in Shanghai in July 2010, rekindling the vision of Benazir Bhutto who had envisaged gas pipelines, railway tracks and highways connecting Pakistan with China.

Pakistan - Bilawal Bhutto welcomes Chinese bid to reshape international finance

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party told “Asian Political Parties Conference on Silk Road” in Beijing Wednesday that Pakistan was among the first to welcome – and recognize – the efforts of China in reshaping the international financial architecture with new institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the New Development Bank, and the Silk Road Fund.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was addressing the 3-day Conference hosted by Community Party of China.
In his speech, PPP Chairman stated, “Given its vast economic clout, China clearly has a greater role in the global economic order. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, too, was conceived in pursuit of the Asian economic dream, with the objective of achieving shared prosperity on the basis of economic integration and collective development.”

He pointed out that as the Dragon stands poised to leap forward at the economic core of a vast region that houses 70 percent of the planet’s population, and the same percentage of known energy reserves, we know that competition for influence can’t be far behind. While the renminbi seeks to attain global reserve status, and Beijing mobilizes its foreign reserves to power up massive investment outlays, the world will continue to still size up this rising giant. Our own view is that no community or country should be challenged by this expanding circle of influence. This model of leadership need not be zero-sum. China’s organizational initiatives incorporate, complement, and build upon numerous existing institutions. What is important is that they do not uproot existing financial frameworks, but build on old and create new ones, he stressed.

PPP Chairman said the Silk Road, in its latest manifestation, is more than just a trade route or investment initiative that can transform regional futures; it is Beijing’s great strategic bid to spur growth and prosperity in the Eurasian landmass.

“On behalf of Pakistan, and its largest federal political party, the PPP, I rejoice at the warmth, trust and durability of our bilateral ties. When the world was busy misunderstanding China, I am proud to say that we in Pakistan, through three governments, from Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to Benazir Bhutto, and then President Zardari, ensured that Pakistan’s ties with the Peoples Republic of China always went through a surge in confidence and cooperation.

“Today, China’s “One Belt-One Road” project aims to bring into being a new economic order in the whole region around us, and beyond. Connecting from the Pacific to the Atlantic, Beijing’s ambition to build over 8000 kilometers of high-speed railways and related infrastructure, joining itself to other regions in Asia and Europe, is understandably the centre of much international attention.

“To my mind, it is remarkable that Chinese investment abroad has exceeded $100 billion plus in 2014. As we see it, China is in the process of becoming the world’s preeminent economy.
“Carried out according to vision, this belt will literally join two continents, Asia and Europe, an area with a population of 4.4 billion, and a current economic output of $21 trillion. Chinese goals and collaborative planning for Silk Road countries are exciting to see. They hope to inspire mergers, acquisitions, and green-field investments.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that as an avid student of Chinese growth, he had noted how over the last 20 years, China has poured in almost 9 percent of its GDP for the enhancement of domestic infrastructure. It can teach many of us a great deal about how to build and boost transportation and communications efficiency. In a bid for a future where the knowledge economy matters most, China has also invested in creating the world’s largest broadband network. This is no small feat, he applauded.

“President Xi Jinping’s assertive articulation of the One Belt-One Road vision makes it clear that the New Silk Road, both overland and maritime, will not be limited to the last century’s definitions of geo-politics alone. Whether it amounts to a Marshall Plan for the region it covers, or leaves a new footprint of soft power as it unfolds, a world hungry for partnering in leadership should welcome it.
“The China Pakistan Economic Corridor, that will link Kashgar in Xinjiang with the port of Gwadar in Balochistan, is just one – but a significant example – of this mutual objective. Early estimates suggest that the influx of Chinese investment will stimulate a 15 percent increase in Pakistan’s GDP by 2030. In fact, the first project to achieve financial close, in November this year, under the CPEC is a $ 2 billion joint venture to energize Thar Coal, located in the province of Sindh, where my party holds government.

“Given our history as allies and friends, Beijing has also extended support for other projects that Pakistan has been involved with under our leadership. Most notable among these is the Iran Pakistan gas pipeline, particularly as the Iran Deal opens new avenues for energy trade in the region. With China’s exclusive entry in the IP project, regional energy trade can take a critical turn.

“Beijing’s continued interest and investments in Gwadar also underscore its commitment to economic integration and collective regional development. More importantly for all of us in Pakistan, the CPEC will set a remarkable precedent as a joint infrastructural development project in the region that can significantly alter the economic landscape of developing areas in both China and Pakistan.
“It bears saying that within the region too, the Silk Route and other interfaces ensure that Pakistan and China are natural trading partners. Together, both our countries have laid a framework for trade integration that includes the elimination of tariff on goods, market access on services and promotion of investments. This is the future of free trade in the region.

“I realize that security concerns weigh heavy on all investment calculations. Please be assured that security is Pakistan’s principle focus right now, and that joint efforts are extensively underway to combat the global threat of borderless terrorism.

“Let me take this opportunity to remind my distinguished audience that today, Pakistan is fighting what can easily be termed as the biggest inland war against terrorism. We also know that Pakistan’s resolve is appreciated by our friends in Beijing who understand the complex and grave nature of this threat.

“We all know that terrorism is this century’s big emerging challenge, and it will require transboundary cooperation and global solutions. It is important to also understand that no one country can face it alone, or that all solutions will be solely military. Our non-NATO allies in Afghanistan have spent much blood and treasure there with far from optimal outcomes. They knew not what this summer would bring. This ramped up conflict and Taliban resurgence is a worry for Pakistan, since we see Afghan peace as vital to Pakistan’s hopes for prosperity in our own country and the region.
“Therefore, we are naturally heartened to see that China has joined Pakistan and the US in the search for bringing peace to a troubled Afghanistan. I truly hope that China’s new role in fostering collective security and regional peace in Kabul will open new doors for economic stability in a war-torn country.
“We all know that the New Silk Road will become the jugular vein it is meant to be if its investments in human and material capital are secure. The CPEC itself is a manifestation of Islamabad and Beijing’s joint vision to combat terrorism not only by committing military forces against it but also by applying the shared objective of expanding the circle of prosperity to underdeveloped and restive regions in many countries. Given the significance of this objective – placing strategic security within the realm of economic development and prosperity – Pakistan’s security establishment has repeatedly assured Chinese authorities that there would be no hurdles in the development of the CPEC. Beijing has also categorically brushed aside Indian apprehensions regarding the routing of the CPEC through Azad Kashmir. We are thankful for this breadth of vision.

“Before the honourable Chinese president’s visit to Islamabad this year, our Chief of Army Staff had visited Beijing, where he extended the Pakistan Army’s resolve to curb terrorism and apprised the Chinese leadership of successes notched up in Operation Zarb-e-Azb in dismantling the network of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). I am happy to note that last month, Pakistan and China also concluded the Joint Field Exercise Warrior – III.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the Chinese vision for human security, economic cooperation, reform, joint prosperity, lies at the heart of international solutions to the turmoil and chaos the world faces today. “It is what will drive the project of peace in a world divided by inequities, conflicts and social disorder. I am confident that Pakistan will play a key role in bending history to this transformative mutual ideal,” he concluded.

Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto was warmly welcomed by the political leaders from different countries and took photographs. Political leaders from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal specially walked to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and exchanged greetings.

PPP delegation comprised of former Ambassador to the United Nations Senator Sherry Rehman, former Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi and Political Secretary Jameel Soomro.

Pakistan - Aseefa Bhutto takes up SMBB Medical College issue with CM

 Aseefa Bhutto Zardari held a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at Chief Minister’s House today to discuss the issues pertaining to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College, Lyari and few other matters related to Health, especially anti-Polio campaign in Sindh.

Former UN Ambassador for Polio Eradication Aseefa Bhutto Zardari had personally visited SMBB Medical College Lyari a few days back and listened to the problems of both students and faculty. She brought up the issues of SMBB Medical College to the attention of Chief Minister and sought his intervention for improvements in the College education and facilities for the students.

Aseefa Bhutto Zardari also discussed the issues being faced by the polio workers specially their salaries and security. Need of improvement of facilities at Civil Hospital, Naushero Feroz also came up for discussion during the meeting.

Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah gifted traditional Sindh Ajrak to Aseefa Bhutto Zardari on the occasion.
Those who attended the meeting including Local Government Minister Nasir Shah, Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly Shehla Raza, Secretary Health Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo and others.


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