#MashalKhan - 'Death to blasphemers' increasing as political rallying cry in Pakistan

By Asif Shahzad

Three police officers stand daily guard at the tomb of Pakistani student Mashal Khan to prevent religious hardliners from fulfilling threats to blow up the grave of the 23-year-old beaten to death over rumors he blasphemed against Islam.

His grieving family, now also under police protection, say they have little hope the shocking campus killing will prompt a re-examination of blasphemy laws that carry a death penalty, or action against the mob justice that often erupts in such cases.

On Friday, there was more evidence the opposite is happening.

A new political party that has made punishing blasphemers its main rallying cry won a surprisingly strong 7.6 percent of the vote in a by-election in Peshawar, 60 km (36 miles) from where Mashal Khan was killed six months ago.

“Death to blasphemers! Death to blasphemers!” was a common chant of supporters of the Tehrik-e-Labaik Pakistan party at its campaign rallies in the conservative northwestern city.

The party’s relatively strong showing - and a separate outcry over a proposed change to an election law that outraged the religious right - has elevated blasphemy into a potent political issue in the run-up to a general election in 2018.

While Tehrik-e-Labaik (Movement of the Prophet’s Followers) is unlikely to break out of single digits in coming votes, its rapid rise, along with another ultra-religious party, could create an additional challenge for the ruling Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The PML-N party’s leader, Nawaz Sharif, was ousted as prime minister in July by the Supreme Court, and opposition leader Imran Khan - who spearheaded the legal case that removed him over unreported income - is seeking to press the advantage.

RELIGIOUS RIGHT GAINS

In this week’s Peshawar by-election, former cricket star Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party swept to a comfortable victory to retain the parliamentary seat, winning 34.8 percent of the vote.

Sharif’s PML-N had 18.9 percent, narrowly coming in third to the regionally strong Awami National Party that won just 40 more votes.

But the gains by the Labaik party - formed just last year - have grabbed attention.

Labaik draws most of its support from the Barelvi branch of Sunni Islam, the largest sect in Pakistan that is traditionally considered moderate. Though the party does not publicly talk about its funding, the Barelvis have a network of mosques and madrassa religious schools that collect donations.

The party emerged out of a protest movement against the state’s execution of Mumtaz Qadri, a bodyguard of the governor of Punjab province who gunned down his boss in 2011 over his call to reform Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, among the world’s harshest, to prevent abuses.

Qadri is considered a hero by the party, and its candidate in Peshawar, Muhammad Shafiq Ameeni, was equally supportive of Mashal Khan’s killers, although the student’s death was not a main feature at campaign rallies.

“It was state’s responsibility to punish a blasphemer, no two opinions, but when state doesn’t do its job and someone does kill, he shouldn’t be punished as a murderer,” Amini said, referring to the 57 people who face trial over Mashal Khan’s death.

In Pakistan, allegiance to Islam is the official line of most major parties, but ultra-religious parties have so far remained on the fringes.

Labaik is one of two new ultra-religious parties formed in roughly the past year.

Together, Labaik and the Milli Muslim League (MML) gained about 11 percent of the vote in last month’s by-election in Lahore and 10.4 percent in Peshawar, whereas the established religious parties, such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam, combined had 5.3 percent in the 2013 national election.

RULING PARTY UNDER FIRE

Blasphemy is such an effective wedge issue in Pakistan because there is almost no defense against an accusation.

For that reason, say critics, blasphemy laws are often invoked to settle personal scores and to intimidate liberal journalists, lawyers and politicians.

Dozens of Pakistanis are sitting on death row after being convicted of insulting Islam’s prophet, a specific charge that carries a mandatory death sentence, though no executions have been carried out in recent decades.

Now, political parties may be in danger of facing blasphemy accusations themselves.

Earlier in October, the PML-N found itself in the middle of a firestorm when it voted through seemingly small changes to the nation’s electoral law. The changes, among other things, turned a religious oath in the electoral laws stating that Mohammad was the last prophet of Muslims into a declaration using the words “I declare”.

The alterations prompted accusations of blasphemy from the religious right and the government quickly retreated, terming the change a “clerical” mistake and apologizing in parliament.

Labaik has vowed to hold a mass rally on Nov. 6 to demand the lawmakers responsible be prosecuted for blasphemy.

MOB KILLINGS

Even before the Labaik party’s political debut, politicians found promising swift action against blasphemers an easy way to appeal to conservative voters.

In March, then-prime minister Sharif issued a public order to prosecute anyone posting blasphemous content online.

The next month, Mashal Khan was accused of online blasphemy and beaten to death by fellow students and religious activists as onlookers filmed the scene. Sharif said he was “shocked and saddened” by the “senseless display of mob justice”.

At least 67 people have been killed over unproven blasphemy allegations since 1990, according human rights groups.

Mashal Khan’s father, Iqbal, said his son was the victim of false rumors.

The family has received death threats from right-wingers and Mashal’s sisters had to drop out of school.

“The snakes our country nurtured are now biting us,” the father said, two days before the Peshawar by-election, standing beside his son’s gave strewn with flowers, lace and poetry.

Learning of the Labaik party’s gains a few days later only made him more pessimistic about the government’s ability to stop abuse of blasphemy accusations.

“I know very well, I‘m not going to get my son back,” he said. “But this only adds to my pain.”

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Bilawal Bhutto admires team-work and hard-work of PPP leaders and workers in NA-4 Peshawar by-election

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has admired the team-work and hard-work of the PPP leaders and workers in NA-4 Peshawar by-election despite pre-poll rigging by Federal and Provincial government machineries.

In a press statement issued here, the PPP Chairman said that both the PML-N and PTI governments opened up their exchequers and coffers for NA-4 and unleashed state machineries to steal away by-election. New development schemes were conceived and implemented overnight to influence the voters in complete violations of electoral rules, he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that despite all odds the PPP workers performed well and he would like to salute them for working hard without having a level-playing field. PPP KPK and Peshawar leaders and workers have proved that our Party has mature, committed and loyal cadre, which can fight from dictators to their minions in all seasons, he further added.

PPP Chairman said that he understands that Party workers are faced with vulgar and abusive mainly the newly-born political opponents. “In our 50 years of history, the Party has faced a serial of such political bubbles and pricked them finally. However, they pop up again and again in different colors as remnants of dictatorial regimes,” he said.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Peshawar by-election cannot be a litmus test for popularity of any political party for a variety of reasons because 86 % of the women of the constituency didn’t cast their votes and heavily-exerted influence from both Federal and Provincial governments through use of resources and machinery.

He said that PPP will win any elections held in a level-playing field and pledged that it will defeat the opponents in 2018.

PPP has always supported human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law: Bilawal Bhutto

PPP chairman Bilawal bhutto Zardari has said that PPP has always supported human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. Human rights defenders and civil society are at the forefront fighting for our common goal of achieving Equal Rights and Social Justice for all. He expressed his views in his Twitter message after the meeting with human rights activists today.

Bilawal Bhutto condemns attack on journalist Ahmed Noorani by unidentified people

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has condemned attack on journalist Ahmed Noorani by unidentified people.

In a statement, the PPP Chairman said that his Party won’t tolerate attacks and torture on the journalists as we have always struggled for freedom of the press since the inception of PPP.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PPP never resorted to intimidation and torture despite being the victim of history’s worst and most expensive media trial.

He demanded immediate arrest of the culprits involved in attack on Ahmed Noorani.

https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/

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SHER-E-BANGLA AK FAZLUL HUQ The Braveheart of Bengal

By Amanullah

October 26 is an auspicious day for the Bengali people, for on this day in 1873 was born Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq, the great leader of Bengal, who came as a saviour of his fellow Bengalis from the tyranny of the exploiting landlords and British colonial rule. A man who, with his rare qualities of head and heart, indomitable courage and mental power, fought throughout his life to protect the interests of his people. And it was he who instilled in them the belief and confidence that the Bengalis are to live as a nation with freedom, honour and dignity.

Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq is a legendary figure in Bengal and All-India politics and in the history of movements for social change. Like many other leaders in public life, Fazlul Huq had his lamentations over some of his past actions and decisions. But to delve into those is hardly possible in a short piece like this one.

Fazlul Huq lived a life of dignity and honour. Of course, there were occasions when circumstances around him were not all that pleasant. At times he had to confront resentful critics often misunderstanding his intent and purpose.

Fazlul Huq's principal political adversary, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan and its first Governor General, lies buried in a grave in distant Karachi. Jinnah presided over the All-India Muslim League Conference at Lahore where Fazlul Huq, then Prime Minister of Bengal, moved the historic Lahore Resolution for a Muslim homeland in India. Only two years after he moved the resolution, Jinnah attacked him as a “treacherous person doing incalculable harm to the Muslims of Bengal.”

Mohammad Ali Jinnah as the Governor General visited Dhaka in March 1948 and addressed a public meeting on the Ramna Race Course ground (now Suhrawardy Udyan). In that meeting, he asserted that Urdu shall be the only State Language of Pakistan. Thus, he sowed the seeds of Bengali Language Movement, which ultimately led to the independence movement of Bangladesh. Jinnah, during his visit, must have realised that there was growing unrest and discontent among the Bengalis. He must have also realised the importance of a meeting with Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq for a kind of reconciliation between the two stalwarts of All-India Muslim politics. It was at the instance of Jinnah that a reluctant Fazlul Huq was finally persuaded to sit for a meeting of reconciliation. The first session of talks between the two was somewhat of a failure and ended in anger and disgust. However, the second sitting seemed to be useful because of a conciliatory approach by an otherwise arrogant and uncompromising Jinnah.

At the end of the meeting, Fazlul Huq's assurance of cooperation gave some relief to Jinnah, who was worried about the defence of Pakistan's Eastern Wing.

Fazlul Huq, the illustrious leader of Bengal of All-India fame, was widely known to have a chequered political career and was often blamed by his critics for his vacillating character in politics. In the face of criticism by his rivals, Fazlul Huq stuck to his own ways and means in his political activities. He used to tell his people quite often that he had an ideal of his own for which he acted in the ways suiting the time and circumstance.

By way of personal explanation, Fazlul Huq said, “It is my crime that I love the common man of Bengal, otherwise there would not have been any need for me to deviate from a chartered path or fixed opinion.” He said, his ideal was to serve the greatest good of the greatest number of the masses of Bengal's poor peasantry and other have-nots. He also said that he had noticed in the whirlwind of complex politics that it would not be possible to perform the job properly. So, he had to change his opinion under compulsion.

Fazlul Huq was a practising Muslim, proud of his Bengali identity, and staunchly believed in Bengali nationalism. He was secular in his approach to socio-political issues. And he always worked for Hindu-Muslim communal harmony.

Fazlul Huq was considered by PC Ray, the great scientist, as a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity on which depended the future existence of the Bengali nation. PC Ray, Fazlul Huq's one-time teacher, said he did not understand the Indian nationalism of the Congress. He knew only Bengali nationalism. And he believed that only Fazlul Huq could establish this nationalism. He said Fazlul Huq was “from head to toe” a Bengali and a Muslim at the same time, adding that he had never seen such an excellent combination of pure Bengali character and pure Muslim belief.

In one of Fazlul Huq's brief biographies, Bhabesh Roy, the author, began his writing with lavish praise and compliments for Sher-e-Bangla as a leader. “Sometimes some people are born who love their motherland a lot more intensely, may be very differently. And in the process of loving their land and the people differently – they themselves emerge as a different kind of human being – extraordinary personality.” AK Fazlul Huq, indeed, was such an extraordinary personality.

Pakistan blogger Aasim Saeed says he was tortured

A Pakistani blogger who went missing earlier this year has applied for asylum in Britain after alleging he was tortured by a "state intelligence agency" during his disappearance.

Aasim Saeed was one of a group of five liberal social media activists who were abducted in Pakistan in January 2017 before being released after several weeks. The Pakistani military has repeatedly denied any involvement in the case.

Mr Saeed told the BBC that prior to his abduction he had been involved in running a Facebook page critical of Pakistan's military establishment, called Mochi, "because since the inception of Pakistan they've always been ruling us directly or indirectly".

Pakistan has been ruled by the military for nearly half of its 70 years.

Mr Saeed was working in Singapore but visiting Pakistan for his brother's wedding in January 2017 when he says a number of men in plain clothes arrived at his house and ordered him into a car.

"'Do you know why you've been picked up?' they asked. I said, 'I have no idea'. Then he started to slap me. They said, 'Let's talk about Mochi'."

Mr Saeed told the BBC he had been ordered to hand over the passwords to his email accounts and mobile phone before being taken to a secret detention facility where he was held alongside men he believed to be "religious terrorists."

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that 728 people were forcibly "disappeared" in 2016. Pakistan's intelligence services have been accused of "disappearing" social and ethnic nationalist activists, as well as those accused of links to militant groups, instead of producing them in court.

Authorities in Pakistan have often said the security services are unfairly blamed for disappearances and that the number of missing people is inflated.

Few first-hand accounts have ever emerged of what happens to those in detention. Mr Saeed alleges he was beaten with a leather strap.

"I don't remember what happened, I fell down and someone was holding my neck in his feet, and the other guy kept beating and beating and beating."

He describes his arms and back being left "shades of purple, blue and back".

At another detention facility which he believes to be near the capital Islamabad, Mr Saeed says he was made to undergo polygraph tests whilst being repeatedly questioned about links to the Indian intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

"Have you ever been associated with RAW? Who is your handler? Have you ever received money from RAW?"

He denies any links to any foreign intelligence services and says interrogators also analysed his Facebook posts and questioned him about why he was "critical of the army".

In May 2017 Human Rights Watch raised concerns that the Pakistani government was "clamping down on internet dissent at the expense of fundamental rights".

Protests were held across cities in Pakistan by other liberal activists calling for the release of Mr Saeed and the other "missing bloggers", as they came to be known. Mr Saeed, though, says he believed while in detention that he would be killed, because normally "missing persons don't go home".

Whilst pressure was building on the Pakistani authorities to provide information about the whereabouts of the bloggers, a counter-campaign was begun by right-wing religious clerics and TV anchors accusing them of having committed blasphemy.

Blasphemy is legally punishable by death in Pakistan and a number of those accused of it have been murdered by lynch mobs.

Mr Saeed returned home after several weeks in detention. He told the BBC it was only then that he realised he had been accused of blasphemy. He denies any involvement in writing blasphemous material.

One of the other missing bloggers has alleged the blasphemy allegations were an attempt "to shut us down - to threaten our families - to build pressure on us".

Mr Saeed returned to Singapore shortly after being released and arrived in the UK in September to visit friends. He told the BBC he had then decided to apply for asylum as the terms of his employment visa in Singapore meant he had no guarantee he would be allowed to keep living there if he ever lost his job, and his life would be in danger if he returned to Pakistan.

Nonetheless, Mr Saeed told the BBC he did not regret his activism, as "people have to stand up".

Husain Haqqani: 'US will no longer ignore Pakistan's militant support'

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged Pakistan to up the fight against militant groups. Husain Haqqani, former Pakistani ambassador to the US, told DW that Pakistan could face dire consequence for non-compliance.

DW: What was the aim of Rex Tillerson's Pakistan visit on Tuesday? Will the Trump administration be able to achieve its objectives for Afghanistan and Pakistan?

Husain Haqqani: US Secretary of State Tillerson was in Islamabad to convey what President Donald Trump had already announced. The US now recognizes that its interests no longer converge with those of Pakistan in Afghanistan. Pakistan wants the US to accept its primacy in Afghanistan and continue to receive economic and military aid from Washington while the US wants Pakistan to change its policies in relation to terrorism. I doubt one visit by the secretary of state will end a problem that has evolved over several years.

Pakistan insists it has "sacrificed" a lot in the war against terror and yet the international community doesn't appreciate its role. Is it not true?

It is unfortunate that Pakistan has lost many soldiers and civilians since 9/11, but that does not change the fact that it is a result of Pakistan's wrong policy of supporting some terrorists while fighting others.

What impact will President Trump's Afghanistan policy have on Pakistan?

As Secretary of Defense General James Mattis has said, the Trump administration is giving Pakistan "one last chance" to align its policy on Afghanistan with that of Washington's. If Pakistan's support to the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network continues, it will result in consequences Pakistan has not faced before.

How do you see the future of Pakistan-US relations?

The two countries are drifting further and further apart. To change that, Pakistan would need to act on its oft-stated policy of eliminating all jihadist groups inside Pakistan, even those that attack India and Afghanistan.

Pakistan is currently facing diplomatic isolation amid allegations about militant safe havens along the Afghan border. What does Pakistan need to do to end this isolation?

It is true that Pakistan is getting more and more isolated. Growing ties with Russia and China will not end that isolation. Pakistan must shut down jihadist safe havens not only to avoid isolation but also for the sake of its existence.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif recently said Islamabad was willing to work with the Trump administration. Does his statement indicate a policy shift?

Pakistan has a credibility problem in Washington. Similar promises have been made for years without result. Washington will no longer ignore Pakistan's support for groups like the Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network or Lashkar-e-Taiba. The policy of cherry-picking in relation to terrorist groups will no longer work.

Khawaja Asif recently said in a Twitter message that President Trump's harsh words against Pakistan were a result of your lobbying work in Washington. How would you respond to this allegation?

I guess he [Khawaja Asif] needs a scapegoat. Conspiracy theories and hatred for the US are a major part of Pakistan's political discourse. The Pakistani expectation that Washington would indefinitely provide economic and military assistance in return for partial support of US objectives is delusional.

Some analysts say the powerful Pakistani military played a key role in ousting former PM Nawaz Sharif. Do you agree with this assessment?

Sharif's removal from office reaffirms what I call the "iron law" of Pakistani politics: a politician can amass wealth and engage in corruption only as long as he does not challenge the ascendance of the country's powerful national security establishment. The military does not want civilians to assert their views in the conduct of foreign and national security policies. Sharif's desire to reshape policies on Afghanistan and India led to his clash with the security establishment.

How do you view the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)?

Pakistan is moving from economic dependence on the US to economic dependence on China. China sees Pakistan as a secondary deterrent against India as it helps keep India tied down within South Asia.

CPEC will not resolve Pakistan's economic problems but will soon become an economic burden when Pakistan has to repay the high interest loans.

The Pakistani security establishment has also clamped down on any protests against CPEC in Baluchistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and other areas, with the arrest, disappearance and torture of activists.

Why has the Pakistani government not acted against US-designated terrorists like Hafiz Saeed?

Because Pakistan's military establishment still considers terrorist groups that share its foreign policy goals in Afghanistan or against India as its "assets." They would rather mainstream Hafiz Saeed and pretend that he is just a politician with extreme views than acknowledge that terrorists deserve punishment.

Pakistan - Malala’s Outfit and Jealousy Factor

By: Muhammad Anwar Nasar

A week ago Malala Yousafzai has started her education career at Oxford University, London. Her tweet showed a picture of her laptop and selection of books on logic. The tweet was liked by more than 666,000 well-wishers within an hour.

Malala Yousafzai is an inspirational girl that works for the cause of female education throughout the world. She has been visited to number of states to propagate her cause. In this prospect she has also established Malala fund to materialize her dream.

In the case of Malala Yousafzai, people are equally divided between those who like and dislike her. Those who disdain Malala are not concerned with her cause that she disseminates. Contrast to it, they are residing in perpetual jealousy to Malala and her activities.

Recently, one of her picture where she had dressed in black jeans, jacket and T-shirt followed by a shawl on her head became viral on social media. This picture of Malala was criticized by the people of different circles. Some people joked and compared her to adult film star Mia Khalifa. Some others feel satisfied that their prophecies regarding Malala are becoming true.

The photo that is not yet verified either ‘she is Malala’ or ‘not’ but still it is contributing well to defame her personality in myriad ways. Suppose she is Malala Yousafzai! So then what is wrong with wearing this westernized outfit?

One, before wearing this westernized outfit, an arch section of Pakistani society was against Malala Yousafzai. She was entitled as ‘western agent’. Her shooting at the head by Taliban was labeled as ‘drama’. In fact, one thing must be clear that before being dressed in jeans and T-shirt, she remained subjected to abomination in Pakistani society. Now, the same class is engaged in dissipating the Malala picture to create contempt of Malala.

Two, Malala Yousafzai is an icon of inspiration and change. She works for the distortion of status quo. Shattering of status quo on the part of Malala has earned much jealousy to her by power elites. The power elites are against her because they are jealous of her position. Consequently, they are looking at every action of Malala through the prism of ‘social conservatism’ and ‘eastern societal traits’. What about these elites when they visit western countries? Do they dress their cultural clothes or three –piece?

Three, jeans and T-shirts are being worn by Pakistani girls in various universities of Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore etc. It’s something normal to see girls dressed in westernized outfits in Pakistan. Here the question rises that why so many hue and cries is created on Malala’s outfit.

Four, the ambassador of peace shattered the tribal fixations that women cannot go outside her home. She practically manifested that women equally have the capability to work outside home. By this way, she challenged the tribal conservatism. All those who are stick to the principles of tribal cultural sanctity started defaming Malala through the channel of wearing western dress and entitling her the agent of the west.

Five, most the Pakistani diasporas dwelling in the western world are using the same western dress. None of the Pakistani (picture) dressed in westernized outfit became so much viral as that of Malala’s one. How could we manage the hypocritical attitude of our society? Moreover, almost all Pakistani girls admitted in Oxford University use the westernized outfits. Why there is only space for Malala to criticize?

Six, narrowing down the debate to our own particular geographical expression where we live, the same example can be suited well. In the metropolitan cities of Pakistan, the young Pakistanis, move for favoring the western brands in every walk of life. If Malala is criticized then why we don’t think about utilization of western products and commercials by Pakistanis in our own land? 

Most importantly, the prospect of using western commodity and dress is not so huge problem in the global world. The contemporary world is connected through varied channels by shaping it as a ‘Global Village’. In the global village we have only single agenda to propagate our cause through the help of ‘soft power’. All those states, organizations, non-state actors and communities that are stick to exercise the ‘hard power’ are being criticized at international forum. Contrast to it, Malala is using soft power to dissipate the cause of voiceless children, humanity, and girls’ education etc.

So, it is better to shape the narrative of our thinking by looking at the cause rather than that of developing hatred by focusing on the exoteric exposition of face, clothes and styles. By this way, one can understand the philanthropy of Malala Yousafzai.

Pakistan - Education reform - why has learning not improved?

Ravale Mohydin

STEVE Jobs once said, “sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” Innovation is an adaptive or inventive learning process. By being adaptive, an organisation can produce the same products cheaper to improve profits. By being inventive, an organisation can keep producing better products to keep customers paying, which is what Apple successfully did. Deciding between these two approaches, whether to improve upon existing solutions or design new ones altogether, is a choice that education policymakers are currently facing in Pakistan.

The test score data in the Annual Status of Education Report for all provinces from 2011 on shows little improvement in learning. Ten years from now, Pakistan may have more high school graduates, but that may not mean much in terms of being employable. If learning does not improve, policymakers could even argue that these children are better off outside school learning a trade or being employed. I have encountered fifth-graders who, despite having attended school diligently, cannot name a second word starting with ‘A’ after apple. The injustice aside, this is a waste of precious material and human resources, something that a developing country like Pakistan cannot afford.

What is truly surprising is that the government has tried every single policy in the standard playbook to improve matters.

I and others from the Learning and Edu­cational Achievement in Pakistan Schools (LEAPS) programme researched education reforms in Pakistan from 2000 onwards.

Evidence should guide our choices in education.

The first surprising fact was that there have been more than 100 reforms since 2000 alone. The second surprising fact is that all these reforms make sense; they are consistent with what countries around the world do to improve their educational outcomes. They include incentivising teachers, raising teacher qualification levels, improving the curriculum, more testing, better textbooks and better education support services. Name any reform, and it is almost guaranteed that it has been tried.

Given this huge emphasis on education reform, why has learning not improved?

At the recent Ednovate conference, many representatives from public, private and non-profit educational sectors agreed on the need for effective innovation in education reform, however it became clear that consensus on the approach remained elusive. Should the focus be on improving the current system or trying out new strategies? Because all consequences, good or bad, of either route cannot be immediately envisioned, any proposal could be countered with legitimate dissent.

To illustrate, take the 2010 Punjab school merger and staff rationalisation policies. To counter teacher shortage, the government of Punjab introduced teacher rationalisation policies that allowed teachers to be transferred from low to high-enrolment schools, where they were needed. The government had done this twice before in 2005 and 2008 with the aim of having one teacher for 40 students in a school. However, the imbalance kept returning because teachers sought transfers to their previous schools. The government took an adaptive approach in 2010 to improve upon the current solution by merging low-enrolment schools with high-enrolment schools before shifting surplus teachers to schools that needed them.

The policies led to unintended consequences including a loss of female teachers because the merged schools tended to be further away, causing some women to leave the profession, along with increased teacher absenteeism. In fact, this effort worsened the shortage of teachers.

Despite an adaptive approach, this policy did not achieve its desired objectives. Perhaps the mistake is that we are not challenging the policy’s fundamental underlying assumptions. In fact, the assumption that schools require one teacher for 40 students has not even been tested, let alone challenged. Being inventive means challenging the underlying assumption, and managing the process of change with the bureaucracy.

A common theme emerged from the conference: A prerequisite for effective innovation is to bring all stakeholders on the same page, and one way to achieve that is through evidence-driven decision-making. If the 2010 Punjab school merger policy had been tested before it was executed, policymakers may have accounted for unintended negative impacts, perhaps by involving teachers at the policy development stage. Policymakers too may have been less wedded to the idea and thus more open to reassessment if glitches were spotted before too many resources were spent on large-scale policy implementation.

Being committed to evidence-driven decision-making can lead to more effective innovation. Now is the time to let the evidence speak for itself and guide our choices, whether they rely on improving on current solutions or designing new ones altogether.

Pakistan - Lack of planning

The incomplete federally-funded schemes worth Rs 7.9 trillion were reportedly delayed due to flaws in their planning and execution. The issue was brought up in the meeting of Public Accounts Committee where the ministries concerned were taken to task for apparent carelessness and ill-planning. The committee also noted that cost overruns in some cases have rose to many times more than the original cost of the projects.

Bureaucratic hurdles and lack of proper planning often result in public funds being wasted in the name of development work and hardly is anyone held accountable for the negligence. Lack of resources was termed as another reason for the delay in completion of the projects. This goes to show that the whole process from planning of schemes to initiating them is plagued with institutional incompetence and poor planning. The delays caused in the completion of the projects could have been avoided had there been proper planning on the part of those delegated with the responsibility.

PAC Chairman Khurshid Shah is right in saying that this is a failure of the institutions tasked with planning development projects. Needless to say, the authorities concerned should take notice of the situation. Once the schemes are approved, the relevant authorities should keep an eye on how well they are being undertaken and whether the work is proceeding at a satisfactory pace.

The ministries concerned should also work in meaningful coordination with the bureaucracy in this regard as delays are often caused by a lack of proper communication between the stakeholders associated with the schemes. Meanwhile, the reports that political affiliations have contributed to the delays are disappointing. The federal government ought to take decisions in national interest instead of trying to settle scores with its political opponents by delaying development schemes.

Pakistan - Arrest warrant issued against Nawaz Sharif

A Pakistani court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant against ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in two cases of corruption originating from the Panama Papers leak, his lawyers said.

Mr. Sharif is in London with his wife Kalsum as she undergoes cancer treatment, and has not returned to Pakistan since he was indicted in the corruption allegations earlier this month, despite reports he would do so.

"The accountability court issued bailable warrants for the former Prime Minister in two cases of alleged corruption today and adjourned [the] hearing until November 3," one of his defence lawyers, Zafir Khan, told AFP.

In late July, the Supreme Court sacked Mr. Sharif following an investigation into corruption allegations against his family, making him the 15th Premier in Pakistan's 70-year history to be ousted before completing the full term.

The claims against the Prime Minister stemmed from the Panama Papers leak last year, which sparked a media frenzy over the luxurious lifestyles and high-end London property portfolio owned by his family.

Similar challenges in the past

Mr. Sharif has faced — and come back from — similar challenges in the past.

In 1993, he was sacked from his first term as Premier for corruption, while in 1999 he was sentenced to life in prison after his second term in office ended with a military putsch.

Following the coup, he was allowed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia, returning in 2007 before becoming the Prime Minister for a third time in 2013.

Last month, his wife won his former parliamentary seat during a heated by-election in Lahore, in a poll seen as a key test of the ruling party's popularity after Mr. Sharif's sacking and ahead of a general election due to be held sometime next year.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/pak-court-issues-arrest-warrant-for-ex-pm-sharif-lawyer/article19923693.ece

Pakistan - Press freedom in Balochistan under threat: CPNE

The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) has declared the prevailing situation regarding press freedom in Balochistan as extremely bad and contrary to democratic standards.

According to a press release issued on Tuesday, the overall situation regarding press freedom in the province was reviewed in a meeting of CPNE’s standing committee in Quetta, which was chaired by CPNE President Zia Shahid.

A resolution declaring the freedom of press situation in the province as extremely poor and unsatisfactory was passed on the occasion. According to the resolution, the intolerant behaviour of certain forces and groups against the media in the province had become a norm.

It said newspapers were facing severe pressure and hardships, and hindrances are also being created in newspapers distribution while media workers and newspaper sellers were receiving severe life threats. Resultantly, journalists, media workers and newspaper vendors were finding themselves in an untenable situation due to the multidimensional sources of pressure around them.

Expressing solidarity with journalists and media workers of Balochistan in the resolution, CPNE assured them their full backing and support and demanded of all state and government institutions and other bodies to ensure that the freedom of press and expression and right to information are respected according to the Constitution of Pakistan. The CPNE also demanded steps that could truly strengthen press freedom in line with basic human rights.

According to CPNE’s opinion, a free and responsible media was necessary for the stability of democratic standards in a democratic society while press freedom itself was a vital part of a democratic society and reflection of social diversity.

Strongly condemning the decision of Sindh government’s information department of issuing official advertisements through the corrupt advertising agency Midas Pvt Ltd, the meeting said that the Sindh government was fully aware that Midas Pvt. Ltd. was denying payments to newspapers and magazines despite receiving billions of rupees from the government.

The meeting demanded that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah to revert the decision of issuing official advertisements through Midas Pvt. Ltd. and ensure recovery of all arrears of newspapers and magazines pending with the agency. The meeting also deliberated organizational and other issues and made several decisions in this regard.

The meeting was also attended by senior vice-president Shaheen Qureshi, secretary general AijazulHaq, vice-presidents Amir Mehmood, Rehmat Ali Razi, Anwar Sajidi and Tahir Farooq, senior members Ikram Sehgal, Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Dr Jabbar Khattak, Siddique Baloch, Hamid Hussain Abidi, Kazmi Khan, Ameen Yousuf, Irfan Athar, Javed Mehar Shamsi, Syed Mohammad Munir Jilani, Abdul Khaliq Ali, Usman Shami, Syed Kamran Mumtaz, Abdul Rehman Mungrio, Muzaffar Ejaz, Mohsin Goraya, Khalilur Rehman, Aslam Khan, Mumtaz Ahmed Sadiq, Mohammad Younis Mehar, Bashir Ahmed Memon, Ali Ahmed Dhalon, Arif Baloch, Ahmed Iqbal Baloch, Naeem Sadiq, Syed Khalil ur Rehman, Tazeen Akhtar, Javed Ahmed, Muneer Baloch, Ali Raza Lehri, Yahya Khan Sadozai, Mohammad Anwar Nasir and Zahida Abbasi. Quetta Press Club President Raza Rehman, Shehzada Zulfiqar, local newspaper editors, senior journalists, and other media workers were also present.

Meanwhile, delegations comprising CPNE members from across the country called upon Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Khan Zehri, Governor Mohammad Khan Achakzai, Speaker Balochistan Assembly Raheela Hameed Durrani, senior politician Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and former Chief Minister Abdul Malik and apprised them of the difficulties and threats being faced by the media in Balochistan .

Pashto Music - اې زما دلداره | لاجور سلیم | سردارعلي ټکر

Pakistan - NASIR SHIRAZI SEEKS FROM LHC TO DISQUALIFY RANA SANAULLAH FOR BIASED REMARKS

A Lahore High Court division bench is to hear an intra court appeal seeking disqualification of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan for his biased anti-judiciary speeches.

Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen’s Deputy Secretary General Nasir Abbas Shirazi has challenged decision of a single bench, which had dismissed a petition against Sanaullah saying that it was not maintainable.
Shirazi submitted that the law minister issued derogatory remarks against a judge who conducted an inquiry into the 2014 Model Town incident. He said that Sanaullah attempted to malign and scandalise the judiciary. He said the law minister violated his oath by scandalising a state institution and requested the court to disqualify him as a member of the assembly. 

Justice Shahid Karim on October 5 had dismissed as not maintainable a petition seeking disqualification of Sanaullah for allegedly making speeches against the judiciary. The judge had held that the court would not disqualify anyone on the basis of mere allegations and press clippings. The judge had observed that the petitioner could approach the election commission under the relevant law for disqualification of a parliamentarian.

http://www.shiitenews.org/index.php/pakistan/item/31213-nasir-shirazi-seeks-from-lhc-to-disqualify-rana-sanaullah-for-biased-remarks

FATA: merger or new strategic dimension?

Talimand Khan

Compounding the confusion is a trait of ill politics and when wrapped into sentimentality through demagogy it turns really ugly and misleading. Currently, the hapless people of FATA are subjected to such cacophony in the name of their rights and getting justice for them.

Initially, the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) was devised for the North West to the South West frontier regions from which the provinces of British Balochistan and erstwhile NWFP were later niched out. However, FATA was retained by the British under the FCR for strategic purposes. Ironically, the state of Pakistan not only maintained the status quo after independence but further up scaled its strategic status due to the nature of relationship with Afghanistan and the then USSR. The British already had set a precedent of mainstreaming the above mentioned regions by not merging but creating separate administrative entities by abolishing the FCR to expedite the development of the areas.

No doubt the people of FATA suffered enough, particularly when the British turned their land into a strategic black hole. But the question is, why a single obscure option is presented as compensation and solution to the problems currently faced by the people of FATA for all the wrong done to them? But more questionable is the timing and nature of the reforms.

So far the proponents of merger could not explain the contours of the merger ie what would be the status of the region in the province? Apart from the draconian sections of the FCR that is a contravention to fundamental human rights, abysmal backwardness ranging from low human development index, poor or non-existence of infrastructure, health and education facilities and other services place the region on the lowest scale of development index would be developed.

But, keeping in mind the magnitude of backwardness and deprivation of FATA since ages, how can a province which already has its own black corners in terms of poor governance and backwardness e.g Tank, an adjacent district to South Waziristan, Indus Kohistan, Batagram and Chitral be developed?

The state of Swat was one of the most developed areas in terms of infrastructure, education and health but could not maintain any of those characteristics, even its environment after merger with the province as a district in 1969. While keeping in mind our track record and political culture, who can guarantee that special funds earmarked for FATA would not be syphoned to other areas of choice of the chief minister and other cabinet members?

Besides, many of our mainstream intelligentsia assume that FATA will turn into Peshawar, Mardan or Abbottabad after the merger. So far, the merger plan does not elaborate on the question of administrative and legal arrangements. The Rewaj Act in the FATA Reforms Committee’s report hinted that FATA would be placed under PATA, pushing it further into retrogression. That means, it would be a new form of FATA under the PATA.

Moreover, like the security and foreign policy, particularly with the neighbouring states, FATA also remained the exclusive domain of the security establishment and no such attempt is possible without their preference for a certain consideration fitting into their strategic puzzle. As mentioned, FATA and its people are suffering since ages but we never witnessed such push for change in the name of reforms in the past. Are the proposed reforms for the welfare of the FATA people or to change its strategic dimension due to the emerging new security and strategic environment? The reform agenda was initiated simultaneous to the Zarb-e-Azab which was a like full fledged war. Use of air force and heavy artillery forced the people of FATA, particularly of Waziristan, to run for their life. Resultantly a substantial population of FATA was displaced and forced to live in camps. This provides enough evidence that it was a top down approach with specific objectives.

The self-appointed saviours of FATA presenting themselves as its representatives further make the process dubious. An anchorperson on a private TV channel, whose forefathers migrated from FATA is one example. Unfortunately, he used the channel as a weapon against alternate voices. Two weeks ago he gave a one sided speech for 15 minutes regarding FATA, maligning those who were opposing the merger option as anti reforms and presenting opinions as facts. Ironically, currently some anchorpersons in the electronic media seem more powerful than political leaders and government, particularly when carrying out specific assignments.

One of his arguments was that currently the people of FATA are considered terrorists everywhere in the country. This is not a problem faced only by the people of FATA but people of Swat are also suspected everywhere. There are ubiquitous security check posts on entry into FATA where one can witness long queues of vehicles. Swat is a similar case.

Currently, ‘Action in Aid of Civilian Powers’ is enforced in FATA, which over rules FCR of FATA, as well as in Swat and Malakand Division of PATA. But the ace journalist never questioned why such extraordinary legal measures were not reversed, at least in Swat, after seven years of the military operation. Or should Swat be merged again somewhere for that matter?

Out of 17 members of parliament from FATA, only two MNAs are supporting the merger option. Why are the other 15 MPs silent? If anyone knows about internal situation and power dynamics, silence is not agreement but dissent in FATA. Anybody returning to his village in FATA will never participate in an event or express opinion that can go against the wishes of the powers to be.

Similarly, all the vocal voices in support of merger are those whose forefathers migrated from FATA or others holding only domiciles of FATA but not born or bred there. They were jokingly referred as ‘Coca Cola tribal’ in Peshawar because burger was not so common at that time. The term merger became a fashionable statement for them without knowing or understanding its contours or consequences.

Instead of putting the cart before the horse, it is necessary to resettle the displaced people, expedite the process of compensation for their destroyed properties and carry rehabilitation. It is also imperative to strike down the draconian sections of the FCR to create a conducive political environment to enable the people of FATA to express their view freely without fear of deciding their future in any manner they wish to.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/130354/fata-merger-new-strategic-dimension/

Pakistan - Speak and Die - Stop Killing Journalists

By Iflah Farooq

The heralds of present time, by all means, are journalists. This profession is the fountain head of statistics, facts, prerequisite of a progressive and sophisticated society. Through free media, masses access information concerning any matter of vital importance, combine with the surety that their opinion and voices are being heard by higher authorities.

However exploring veiled realities of repressive and cruel regimes and governments is a hard-hitting and painful experience that these journalists encounter on daily basis. In wake of this struggle several lost their valuables lives. Most recent victim of freedom of speech is Maltese eminent journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia best known for her work on Panama Papers Leaks, killed in an apparent car blast for a 'crime of searching and speaking the truth.'

Journalists are vulnerable in every corner of the current world, especially in war-ravaged areas. Despairs and miseries of local people in war- torn counties seek limelight through the extensive work on part of reporters and journalists. In line of duty 30 journalists lost their lives in 2017 alone, the figure was 115 in 2016. According to Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Iraq is deadliest place for journalists followed by Syria, both battle-damaged countries.

In Pakistan, although history of violence against journalists is not new occurrence yet deadliest time period for journalists was 2007- 2014 during which nearly 65 journalists lost their lives for the sake of duty.

World as a whole proclaims freedom of speech as citizens' fundamental right and promotes journalists' safety through ample initiatives. Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), European Convention on Human Rights (Article 10), the American Convention on Human Rights (Clause 13), Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) and UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity (2016), all acknowledge and safeguard the freedom of speech and press. Likewise constitution of Pakistan safeguards freedom of speech and citizens' right to information under the Article 19 and 19(A). Furthermore in 2014 National Assembly approved the Bill for Protection of journalists.

But despite all laws and legislations, system is still ill-equipped. Violations are common observation; sometime under religious tag or under the banner of national security journalists are bound to withhold the truth. Whether it was Wali khan Babar of Pakistan, Marie Colvin of America, Kenji Goto of Japan killed in Syria, or Daphne Caruana Galizia of Malta, all got punished for exercising their constitutionally secured fundamental right which ultimately claimed their lives while covering either horrors of any conflict or speaking against grave realities of society.

It is the favour from journalist community that public is able to differentiate erroneous acts either on part of their government, military or by any international regime. Investigating and presenting truth, especially in a tyrannical setting is a tough job, still journalists are ready to continue. Therefore, the matter of urgency is to enrich the practical efforts for journalist safety. Additional legislation for filling the loopholes, accountability of government and execution of judiciary, governmental guardianship and insurances on behalf of media houses as well softening of asylum seeking rules must be focal points for straightening the odds for this profession.

The Pakistan Peoples Party congratulates President Xi on re-election as CPC’s General Secretary

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) congratulates Chinese President Xi Jinping on his re-election as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) congress.

“The PPP extends its warmest good wishes and congratulations to President Xi on his well-deserved re-election. Under President Xi’s steadfast leadership during his first term, China has achieved remarkable economic and development milestones,” said Sherry Rehman.

The Vice-President of the PPPP added, “PPP and CPC have always maintained a special relationship. One which was forged by former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, cemented by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and championed by former President Asif Ali Zardari. Under the leadership of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari we seek to bring our mutual relationship into a brighter future for Pakistan. The PPP will continue to work closely with the CPC as China continues to establish a stronger presence in Pakistan”.

Rehman also commented on the landmark amendment to the Chinese Constitution made during the 19th CPC Congress, saying, “It is remarkable to know that the One Belt-One Road project is now going to be a part of the Chinese Constitution. This is a testament to China’s commitment to achieving regional cohesion and peace through long-term and meaningful economic partnerships. We in PPP could not be more proud to be a part of this landmark vision of President Xi and the CPC”.

“We look forward to further strengthening our ties through bilateral cooperation for our mutual long-term interests of shared prosperity and regional peace,” concluded Senator Rehman.

https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/2017/10/25/ppp-congratulates-president-xi-on-re-election-as-cpcs-general-secretary/