Trump On Back Foot As Harris Targets Him Over False Claims

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September 11, 2024

PHILADELPHIA – Republican Donald Trump on Tuesday again refused to admit that he had lost the 2020 presidential election, as Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris attacked him over abortion issue, fitness for office and legal woes he is facing.

As expected, Trump during the presidential debate repeatedly sought to turn the conversation to the economy and immigration, as he narrated false stories about migrants stealing and eating people’s pets. However, the Republican candidate said he would not sign a federal abortion ban.

Meanwhile, online prediction market PredictIt’s 2024 presidential general election market showed Trump’s likelihood of victory declining during the debate, to 47% from 52%. Harris’ odds improved to 55% from 53%.

OUT OF CONTROL

Harris, 59, appeared to get under the former president’s skin repeatedly, prompting a visibly angry Trump, 78, to deliver a series of falsehood-filled retorts.

She criticized Trump over his criminal conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star as well as his other indictments and a civil judgment finding him liable for sexual assault.

At one point, she brought up Trump’s campaign rallies, goading him by saying that people often leave early “out of exhaustion and boredom.”

Trump, who has been frustrated by the size of Harris’ own crowds, said, “My rallies, we have the biggest rallies, the most incredible rallies in the history of politics.” He then pivoted to an unsubstantiated claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are “eating the pets” of residents.

Also read: Swing Voters To Decide US Presidential Election Amid A Tied Race

When ABC News moderator David Muir pointed out that city officials denied any evidence that migrants in Springfield were actually eating pets, Trump doubled down, saying “the people on television” were saying it. When pressed, Trump just said, “We’ll find out.”

The debate, hosted by ABC News, took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. As agreed by the campaigns, there was no live audience and candidates’ microphones were muted when it was not their turn to speak.

In a sign of confidence in the debate’s outcome, Harris’ campaign challenged Trump to a second debate immediately.

MARXIST HARRIS

Trump, who enjoys the support of billionaire Elon Musk, called Harris a “Marxist”. These terms associating the Democrats with communism had started surfacing when Barack Obama came into power for 2008 election. He was often labelled as a communist, ironically when his voters increasingly grew unhappy over not implementing the platform after assuming the office.

Hence, Musk is openly propagating the far right and has relaxed the restrictions on X to make spreading xenophobic ideas and hate speech easier.

When the debate moved to crime, Trump claimed that crime was up in the United States contrary to the rest of the world. There too Muir pointed out that, according to FBI data, crime had actually declined in the past few years.

RACISM

During the debate, Trump also not repeated his false claim that his 2020 election defeat was due to fraud, but also asserted the baseless assertion that migrants have caused a violent crime spree.

Trump was asked by the moderators about one of those attacks, when he told an event with Black journalists in July that Harris had recently “become a Black person.”

“I couldn’t care less,” he said. “Whatever she wants to be is OK with me.”

Also read: Freedom of Inciting Violence: Billionaires Shaping The World

Harris, who has both Black and South Asian heritage, responded, “I think it’s a tragedy that we have someone who wants to be president who has consistently over the course of his career attempted to use race to divide the American people.”

Harris also sought to tie Trump to Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint that proposes expanding executive power, eliminating environmental regulations and making it illegal to ship abortion pills across state lines, among other right-wing goals.

Trump retorted that he has “nothing to do” with Project 2025, though some of his advisers were involved in its creation.

ABORTION

Harris delivered a lengthy attack on abortion limits, speaking passionately about women denied emergency care and victims of incest unable to terminate their pregnancies due to statewide bans that have proliferated since the US Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right in 2022. Three Trump appointees were in the majority of that ruling.

She also claimed Trump would support a national ban. Trump called that assertion untrue but declined to say explicitly that he would veto such a law.

Trump, who has sometimes struggled with messaging on abortion, said falsely that Harris and Democrats support infanticide, which – as ABC News moderator Linsey Davis noted – is illegal in every state.

HIGHER TARIFFS AND ECONOMY

Harris attacked Trump’s intention to impose high tariffs on foreign goods – a proposal she has likened to a sales tax on the middle class – while touting her plan to offer tax benefits to families and small businesses.

Trump criticized Harris for the persistent inflation during the Biden administration’s term, though he overstated the level of price increases. Inflation, he said, “has been a disaster for people, for the middle class, for every class.”

Sliding South Korea Birth Rate Prompts National Emergency

By

Corinna Perini

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September 11, 2024

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In June, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced a “national demographic emergency”. With the nation’s population forecast to virtually half to about 26 million until the end of the century, the United Nations’ newest demographic estimate speaks to his concerns.

Though this builds on long-run trends, only now is South Korea creating a specific ministry for population strategy and planning. But lessons gained from population planning initiatives along China’s Yellow Sea reveal that South Korea lacks a complete strategy. The background of South Korea’s demographic crisis is decades of economic prosperity and long-term complacency.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced a ‘national demographic emergency’

From the middle of the past century, South Korea saw one of the fastest drops in fertility among humans ever seen. The newest UN World Population Prospects 2024 shows that the average number of live births a woman has across her reproductive years — or the total fertility rate — dropped from over six in 1960 to 0.72 in 2023.

South Korea’s GDP-per-capita is predicted to surpass Japan this year, the country’s economic revolution was amazing; in the 1950s, its GDP-per- capita was around half of Ghana. South Korea appears to have neglected to monitor China’s long-run economic demography policy, meanwhile, while it was focused catching up to Japan.

But unlike either South Korea or Japan, population policies define policymaking in China. Mao Zedong encouraged high birth rates, which produced the worker explosion expected to change the global economy as well as the Chinese one. Deng Xiaoping instituted a one-child policy and put that population to use from the 1980s.

The newest UN World Population Prospects 2024 shows that the total fertility rate dropped from over six in 1960 to 0.72 in 2023.

Less often mentioned, however, was that Deng also kept strengthening China’s educational, scientific, and technological bases. From the 1980s mandatory basic education was legislated; in the 1990s, post-secondary education spaces were enlarged, thereby starting the flow of workers able to be more productive than Mao’s baby boomers.

Simultaneously, China realized its fate would be to become old before it became affluent, based on 1980s Renmin University demographer studies. China, therefore, maximized its low-wage worker surge from the 1980s to the early 2010s by means of investor incentives that would eventually generate a world-changing industrialization process.

Moreover, Chinese policymakers guaranteed the expected comparable future growth in retirees from the 2020s would be less likely to hinder its long-term economic program by limited pension and healthcare pledges.

South Korea appears to have neglected to monitor China’s long-run economic demography policy, while it was focused on catching up to Japan.

China’s population has already started to decline, but its planners—from the 1980s—opted a strategy that would allow demographic fluctuations within a larger long-term economic growth program. Furthermore, on that agenda is China’s foreign policy using the Belt and Road Initiative to seize the development possibilities of “younger” areas like Southeast Asia and Africa.

Far from just observing demographic trends at home, China’s planners have a generally comprehensive and cointegrated population and development strategy at home and overseas. South Korea doesn’t need a population ministry if China’s population planners are any guide. South Korea needs a ministry charged with long-term thinking and a viable long-term economic demographic transition plan.

Swing Voters To Decide US Presidential Election Amid A Tied Race

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Info Desk

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September 10, 2024

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WASHINGTON – As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are getting ready for their first live debate before the US presidential election, Pew says the two rivals enjoy equal support at 49% among registered voters.

But another pollster Nate Silver last week had predicted an electoral college victory for Trump, meaning that he would be US president for second time.

The majority of popular votes does not count in the US presidential election, as the winner is decided on the basic of an electoral college, comprising presidential electors from all the 50 states.

It shouldn’t be a surprise as no Republican presidential candidate has won popular vote since 2004 when George W Bush retained the office for a second term. He bagged 50.73% votes against John Kerry who later served as US State Secretary under Barack Obama.

It is widely predicted that the no Republican candidate would now ever get elected as a US president because of the demographic changes. The party mainly attracts White voters whose share in population is shrinking constantly.

The debate could make a huge difference as the performance of Harris and Trump may influence the undecided and infrequent voters amid the extreme polarization in the US.

It also means the number of swing voters is on a constant decline as most of the people have already taken a clear position. Previously, it wasn’t the case when a large a section of US society used to switch their affiliations after one of two election cycles. The Reagan Democrats, who made Republican Ronald Reagan the US president in 1980 by siding with him in the Rust Belt, are a great example.

The same group again influenced the results in 1984 and 1988.

Meanwhile, the allegations of Russian interference are in play yet again, as the issue has become a routine matter every time a Western democracy goes to polls.

ABORTION AND ECONOMY

According to Pew, “Trump’s key advantage is on the economy, which voters regard as the most important issue this year. A 55% majority of voters say they are very or somewhat confident in Trump to make good decisions about economic policy, compared with 45% who say that about Harris.”

“Harris’ lead over Trump on abortion is a near mirror image of Trump’s on the economy: 55% of voters have at least some confidence in Harris, while 44% express confidence in Trump.”

POLITICS OF ELECTORAL COLLEGE

The number of each state is decided on the basis of seats in the House of Representatives plus the number of senators. So, it is basically the House of Representatives members plus two, given that each state has equal representation in the US Senate just like any other House of the Parliament.

On the other hand, the election for House of Representatives, held after every two years resulting in midterm-elections for every president, is constituency-based. The number of seats for each US state is allocated on the basis of population, with the total fixed at 435.

It means a US state has at least three members of the Congress – two senators and one in House of Representatives – no matter that state [federating unit] is.

However, this electoral college system treats the large states like California and New York unfairly, as the election is decided by the electors notwithstanding the fact one of the candidates may win there with a wide margin. Thus, it hurts the Democrats who are in majority in developed urban centers both along the east and west coasts.

Thus, the Republicans are the beneficiaries of the electoral college, as the smaller states with a majority of White population play a key role in results. In fact, the Republicans are in majority in most of the US states.

WHO WILL PROPEL EITHER OF THE CANDIDATES?

It makes the battleground states most important factor in any US election. These are the which could potentially be won by either candidate.

The seven battleground states in 2024 are: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina. It is the reason why both Kamala and Trump are focusing on them.

In connection, Trump is now is trying to win over the infrequent voters that the campaign sees as key to victory in the battleground state.

This target audience is called “low propensity” voters – the people who don’t show up every voting cycle and may even skip the presidential ballot every four years.

Why? Because the support base for the Republicans isn’t growing as explained above amid the tilt towards far right and the resultant focus on the White population.

A New York Times/Siena College survey underscored the opportunity for the Trump campaign with less reliable voters.

China Outflanks US In Muslim World

By

Mushahid Hussain Sayed

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September 10, 2024

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Chinese Prime Minister Prime Minister Li Qiang is arriving in Saudi Arabia today on the first leg of his September 10-13 visit to the Gulf States. Later, he will fly the UAE to hold talks with the Emirati leadership in the UAE.

The invitation extended to Li by the two Middle East giants is indicative of China’s growing clout and proactive involvement in the heart of the Muslim world.

Earlier, in July 2024, China hosted 14 Palestinian factions in Beijing to bring about the biggest rapprochement in the history of the Palestine Revolution, since all the factions agreed on a future Government of National Unity.

In March 2024, China, speaking at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearing on Gaza genocide, fully supported the “right of armed resistance by a people living under occupation to foreign military occupation”, as being in line with international law. Hence, the Palestinian armed resistance against Israel was fully justified by the Chinese, which is a principled position that also applies to Occupied Kashmir. This follows the earlier historic rapprochement brokered by China between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023. These significant developments demonstrate the emergence of China as a proactive political player in the Middle East, which was earlier a predominantly ‘American domain’.

Pakistan has indirectly and directly contributed to this enhanced Chinese role in the Muslim World. It was in March 2022 that Foreign Minister Wang Yi was invited to address the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Conference of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad which was an historic first for China. During his speech on March 22, Wang talked about the “long standing relationship between China and the Muslim world” and reaffirmed that Beijing would continue supporting the Muslim countries in their quest for political independence and economic development.

This follows the earlier historic rapprochement brokered by China between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023.

Historically, China has always been etched in the Muslim consciousness as a country with a great civilization based on knowledge, learning and development. For example, there is a famous saying of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), 1400 years ago, which urged the Muslims to “seek knowledge, even if you have to go to China”, implying that although China was physically far away from Arabia, but it was a land of learning. Soon after the end of the Cold War in the 1990s, a professor of the prestigious American Harvard University, Samuel Huntington, talked of a ‘clash of civilizations’ in which he suggested that the Western civilization would be at odds with both the Islamic and the Confucian civilizations. Interestingly, he also talked of a united front of the Islamic and Confucian civilizations.

In his speech at the conference on “Dialogue among Civilizations” held in Beijing in May 2019, President Xi Jinping mentioned the contribution of the Islamic civilization to “enrich the Chinese civilization” and also referred to the Holy Mosque in Makkah as well as the travels to China of the Muslim explorer, Ibn Batuta, who wrote favorably on China and the Chinese people.

China has a long-standing relationship with the Muslim world. After the Chinese Revolution in 1949, Pakistan was the first country in the Muslim world to recognize the People’s Republic of China in May 1950. The first institutional interaction between China and the Muslim countries took place at the 1955 Afro-Asian Summit in Bandung, Indonesia. It was hosted by the world’s largest Muslim country, Indonesia. Pakistan and China were among the countries attending this historic summit. China shares its borders with 14 countries, five of which are members of the OIC and none of these have border disputes with China.

In January 1965, when the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed, China was among the first countries to recognize it. And in the 1960s and early 1970s, China also provided material support and aid to various Muslim nations that were facing economic and political pressures. It included Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, South Yemen and Egypt.

In January 1965, when the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed, China was among the first countries to recognize it.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China also has been in the forefront of countries that have a proactive approach to the Muslim world. Beijing, for example, presented a Middle East peace plan, which was unveiled when President of the Palestine Authority Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu during their visits to China in May 2013.

During his meeting with the two leaders, Xi presented the four-point peace plan that envisaged an independent Palestine State alongside Israel, based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. While recognizing Israel’s right to exist, the document called for an end to building Jewish settlements in the occupied territories of Palestine, cessation of violence against civilians and termination of Israel’s blockade of Gaza. It also suggested resolving the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and sought more humanitarian assistance while underlining that these are “necessary for the resumption of peace talks between Israel and Palestinian Authority”.

At the same time, Beijing also has been principled on the issue of Syria, urging an end to both interference in Syrian affairs and the civil war. In January 2022, China invited Syria to be part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

China and Saudi Arabia are engaged in discussions to have their oil trade done partially in Chinese yuan.

China today is the largest importer of crude oil in the world and almost 50% of its supply comes from the Muslim countries of the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, Iran and UAE.

Saudi Arabia also invited Xi to visit the Kingdom in November 2022, where he received a red-carpet welcome in marked contrast to the cold reception accorded to President Biden in July 2022. And there have been media reports that China and Saudi Arabia are engaged in discussions to have their oil trade done partially in Chinese yuan – also known as RMB.

Defense cooperation between China and the Muslim world is also expanding, as Chinese advanced jetfighter J10C is now in use in countries like Pakistan and the UAE. In January 2022, China and Iran signed a comprehensive “Strategic Accord” which will run for 25 years, worth well over $400 billion.

Meanwhile, the centerpiece of China’s relationship with the Muslim world today is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Interestingly, the BRI was launched in two phases by Xi, with two important speeches in two different Muslim countries. In September 2013, during the speech in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, he announced the launch of the Silk Road Economic Belt, and in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, he revealed the Maritime Silk Road – the two pillars of the BRI.

At the OIC conference on March 22, Wang said that “China is investing over 400 billion dollars in nearly 600 projects across the Muslim world under the BRI.” He underlined that “China is ready to work with the Islamic countries to promote a multi-polar world, democracy in international relations and diversity of human civilization, and make unremitting efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind”. And on the issue of Palestine and Kashmir, Wang said that “China shares the same aspirations as the OIC seeking a comprehensive and just settlement of these disputes”.

Another example of close ties between China and the Muslim world, was the February 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics where a majority of Muslim countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar had high-level representation, despite the boycott called by certain Western nations. And on March 30, 2022, China hosted an important conference of neighboring countries of Afghanistan which was well attended.

There is a shift in the global balance of economic and political power away from West to the East.

China has also received support from Muslim countries on the issue of Xinjiang at the UN Human Rights Council. In fact, in July 2019, when a group of 22 nations led by the West sent a letter to the UN Human Rights Council criticizing China on Xinjiang, not a single Muslim country was a signatory, while another 37 countries submitted a letter on the same issue defending Chinese policies. These countries included all the six Gulf countries plus Pakistan, Algeria, Syria, Egypt, Eritrea, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan.

Given the changing geopolitical scenario, where there is a shift in the global balance of economic and political power away from West to the East, followed by US efforts for a New Cold War to ‘contain’ China, the thrust for cooperation and connectivity has a broad resonance in the Muslim world. The Muslim countries see their relations with China as a strategic bond to promote both stability and security and economic development and the BRI has become the principal vehicle in the promotion of such an approach.

In the coming years, China’s partnership with the Muslim world is likely to be strengthened given the mutuality of interests and the convergence of worldviews in upholding a world order based on international law, the UN Charter and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. This is in keeping with the resurgence of the Global South, which was evident in China hosting a summit of 50+ African leaders in Beijing, a diplomatic feat unmatched by any other non-African country. All Muslim African countries participated in the Beijing Summit. Basically, in the context of the New Cold War unleashed by the US, China is successful in outflanking the US in an area that Washington once considered its ‘domain’, which is now no more the case.

Address The Bullies Before They Become Frankensteins

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Editorial

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September 9, 2024

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It seems the PTI isn’t ready to shun the politics of violence and intimidation as the party leadership on Sunday again used threats as a medium to spread their message.

Ali Amin Gandapur, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, yet again led the charge and threatened to get the incarcerated party founder, Imran Khan, released from the Adiala jail by force, if he isn’t set free within 15 days.

He also talked about invading Punjab by leading thousands from his home province and used derogatory language against Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

But the most alarming aspect, which shouldn’t be forgotten, is that Gandapur is the person who has defended the Afghan Taliban and justified terrorist attacks carried out in Pakistan. are critical of the PTI while warning them of serious consequences.

If some people still believe that Imran and his followers stand for democracy and democratic ideals revolving around personal freedoms, then nothing can be done to awaken them.

Some people suggest that the PTI follows the dual policy of begging behind the scene and giving a strong message in public just to keep the support base intact. However, this viewpoint is flawed: it is part of the larger organized campaign designed for inciting violence and fuel sentiments against national institutions.

Even if this dual policy argument is accepted as a justified political line of action, the second part – incitement to violence – is fully achieved, which cannot be ignored by only political correctness.

The use of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government resources for this rally represents a trend – the PTI believes in achieving its goals by hook or crook. It also coincides with the military trial of Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, a development that is showing a clear link between the former ISI chief and the PTI founding chairman.

Also read: DG ISPR Doesn’t Rule Out Military Trial Of Imran

So, the threats are clearly aimed at playing the victim card and threatening the state officials simultaneously so that the law doesn’t take its course against Imran.

As far as the Afghanistan and the Taliban are concerned, Imran and his party are known for having a soft corner for the terrorist organizations like the TTP, with many even suggesting that the PTI has become their political front.

It is the PTI founder who proudly admitted allowing the resettlement of thousands of TTP members after years of advocacy in favor of opening their offices in Pakistan.

Also read: Afghan Taliban, Al Qaeda Asked For FATA Revival. Imran Said Yes

But now it has been revealed that Imran and Faiz had agreed to the demand made by the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda to reverse the FATA merger. The sole reason was to make the erstwhile tribal region a safe haven for global terrorist outfits.

This reliance on TTP for politics is the most serious threat to Pakistan’s national security, as this approach combines terrorism and politics, which is a negation of the very concepts of state and democracy.

Meanwhile, Imran’s strategy also explains why he has spent decades religiously on mainstreaming the ideas like jihad and jirga system.

With the Pakhtun and Afghan nationalism being hijacked by the Taliban, the terrorists through their facilitators and a rising number of sympathizers now can influence minds and politics on the both sides of the border.

Against all the predictions and hopes shared by a large number of well-meaning circles, the PTI isn’t behaving like a political party. The PTI’s journey is again a proof that evolution does not mean inaction and future isn’t always bright if we miss the opportunity to take right actions at the right time.

Hoping that a slice of power will automatically civilize thuggish behavior is flawed. It has never worked and will never work. Appeasement of bullies only emboldens them. It is about time the thinking heads huddle together by involving the parliament and take the threat heads on before it becomes a real Frankenstein.

Russian Interference Yet Again As Elon Musk Promotes Far Right

By

Info Desk

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September 7, 2024

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NEW YORK – Elon Musk is known for promoting far-right on X, his social media platform, while portraying him himself as the champion of free speech.

He bought Twitter in April 2022 and later renamed it as X. Since then, the content restrictions have been eased, making it easier for White nationalists and others to propagate their ideas freely.

Despite a backlash from governments, Musk isn’t ready to change his stance. Some media reports suggests that he is seeking a role in the future Donald Trump government and thus backing him openly against Kamal Harris in the US presidential election.

Certainly, Musk has massive economic interests to protect – from Tesla to Starlink and SpaceX.

RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE

His political ambitions coincide with the Russian interference in the US elections, a never-ending episode which started with Trump’s decision to jump into political arena, as he contested the 2016 presidential election successfully.

Earlier this week, the US Justice Department in New York filed money-laundering charges against two employees of Russian state media network RT. They are facing the charges related to influencing the 2024 presidential election.

They are accused of using used shell companies and fake personas to pay $10 million to an unnamed Tennessee company to produce online videos aimed at amplifying political divisions in the United States.

Although the company is not named in the indictment, details provided in court filings match up with Tenet Media, a Nashville-based company that has posted nearly 2,000 videos to YouTube in less than a year.

Meanwhile, this story reminds us of what we are currently experiencing in Pakistan, as social media employed to create divisions in the country by attacking the national institutions.

YOUTUBE SHUTS DOWN CHANNELS

Just a day after the indictment, YouTube announced terminating the Tenet Media channel and four channels operated by Tenet owner Lauren Chen.

THE MUSK CONNECTION

Unlike YouTube, there are no chances of X going after such elements, as Musk has not only been promoting similar ideas but also interacting with them on the social media platform.

Also read: Freedom of Inciting Violence: Billionaires Shaping The World

Tenet Media is linked to far-right influencers Tim Pool, Dave Rubin, and Benny Johnson, who regularly engage with Musk on X.

These influencers have over six million followers. Despite their involvement with Tenet, none of them have been accused of wrongdoing, and they claim they were unaware of the company’s Russian funding.

The indictment detailed that one influencer working with Tenet earned $400,000 monthly and a $100,000 bonus to create four weekly videos.

But Musk isn’t restricting his “activism” to just the United States, as he predicted civil war in the UK during the recent anti-immigrant riots. His comments drew reaction from the British government, forcing him to delete the said post. However, he still continues to back the far-right ideals across the world.

Brazil is another example where the country’s top court banned X after Musk refused to comply with the orders to block the accounts responsible for hate speech.

SCO: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

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Info Desk

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September 6, 2024

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ISLAMABAD – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi can pull a surprise by attending the Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO) Summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad next month, said Murtaza Solangi.

He expressed these views in “The Weekend”, a weekly program which is joint production of the Stratheia and WE News. It is jointly hosted by Muhammad Ali with the weekly episode uploaded on YouTube every Saturday.

Solangi was responding to a question raised by Ali about the prospects of Modi accepting the invitation extended by Pakistan.

The two-day SCO Summit would be held in Islamabad on Oct 15 and 16. Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang is also among those attending event. He will arrive in the capital on Oct 14, which is the first visit by the Chinese prime minister in 11 years.

Solangi said he could not rule out the possibility. “Modi is Modi. He can do anything,” he remarked and recalled the even the Indian high commissioner didn’t know about the visit when Modi suddenly reached Lahore to meet the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif at his Jati Umra residence on Dec 15, 2015.

DIPLOMATIC MASTERSTROKE

Both Solangi and Ali agreed that the invitation represents shrewd diplomacy on the part of Pakistan.

“Inviting Modi is a gritty diplomatic move,” he said, showing that “we are not an abnormal state”.

The reasoning behind the invitation is the fact that the SCO is a multilateral organization and the approach adopted by Islamabad shows it knows how to deal with the international affairs.

It is worth recalling that the SCO 2023 Summit – formally called SCO Heads of State Council Meeting – on July 4 in India was a videoconference as Modi decided not to host the then prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Chinese leadership.

Earlier, the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting was held in Goa in May 2023. Pakistan at that time too showed maturity and sent the then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to attend the event.

That’s why Bilawal had stolen the show as the entire media was focused on him.

IMRAN, FAIZ AND MILITARY COURT

Solangi mentioned that the ISPR director general in his last press conference had not ruled out the possibility of Imran facing trial under the Army Act. However, he would have an open trial in case he was found to be a co-accused as former ISI chief Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed was also going through the court-martial process, he said.

Ali recalled that Imran and his party had been changing their stance on Faiz who was first declared an asset. But later, he said, it was listed as an internal matter of Pakistan Army. However, they were currently shying away from even discussing the matter, Ali remarked.

They were trying to protect themselves from the fallout, Solangi noted.

PTI RALLY WON’T PRODUCE ANYTHING

The PTI rally is again ready to organize a rally in Islamabad on Sunday after cancelling the plan several times. When asked whether Imran’s party is going to invade the federal capital, Solangi predicted that it won’t happen as they were part of the system.

About the possible demands, he said there would be tough talk only. However, he added, law should take its course if there were any criminal cases against the party leaders. Focusing on street politics instead of the parliament had hurt the PTI, he added.

AMENDMENTS IN ATA

Media is now abuzz with the proposed amendments in the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) which are meant for empowering the security forces with the growing threat of terrorist activities in Balochistan.

“It is an extraordinary situation, especially in Balochistan,” Solangi said. “Extraordinary situation warrants extraordinary measures.”

As the proposed changes will help dealing with the missing persons issue, he said it would be sunset clause, not permanent feature.

A sunset clause is a measure within a legislation which provides for the law to cease to be effective after a specified date. It cannot be extended without further legislative action.

However, Solangi noted that the government was taking other remedial steps too to tackle the challenge in Balochistan. “It is not just coercive measures.”

DEMOCRACY AND SOCIAL MEDIA

According to Solangi, some polls suggest that Kamala Harris has better chances of winning against Donald Trump in the US presidential election.

Many believe that social media has a become a threat to democracy, he said and mentioned that Elon Musk joining any future Trump government would not be a good development. It was going to ensure concentration of powers and thus monopoly instead of decentralization, he noted.

Global Warming: Summer 2024 Was Hottest On Record

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Info Desk

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September 6, 2024

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BRUSSELS/ISLAMABAD – As Pakistan has been witnessing the devastating effects of global warming, 2024 saw the summer being warmest on record.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the June to August period this year surpassed the record set in 2023, as it calculated the data for the northern hemisphere.

The C3S is the European Union’s climate change monitoring service which shared the findings in its monthly bulletin.

It is now likely that 2024 will outrank 2023 as the planet’s warmest on record, after human-driven climate change and El Nino combined together earlier this year to fuel the process of rising temperatures.

“During the past three months of 2024, the globe has experienced the hottest June and August, the hottest day on record, and the hottest boreal summer on record,” said C3S deputy director Samantha Burgess.

Unless countries urgently reduce their planet-heating emissions, extreme weather “will only become more intense”, she said. Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are the main cause of climate change.

SOUTH ASIA AND WATER SCARCITY

Earlier, scientists in different reports have warned repeatedly that South Asia is among the worst-affected regions. The global warming effects are very visible in the rapid melting of glaciers in the Himalayas, Karakorum and Hindukush mountains.

The alarming developments are exacerbated by the fact that South Asia has been witnessing reduction in annual rainfall and snowfall. With rainy seasons [both winter and monsoon] getting erratic, it means water scarcity is certainly the biggest challenge to a region which is home to over 1.6 billion people.

So, one shouldn’t be surprised that ensuring food security should be a priority for Pakistan and other South Asian countries. The reason is simple: the traditional crop pattern cannot withstand the changes in weather pattern produced by global warming.

EXTREME WEATHER

Rising temperatures have various effects. It can lead to heatwaves and droughts in some regions while increasing intensity of rains in others. In fact, the same region may experience drought followed by floods caused by heavy rains.

The 2022 floods during 2022 monsoon season are a stark reminder for Pakistan. It wasn’t riverine flooding; these floods were caused by torrential rains in Sindh, Balochistan and parts of southern Punjab caused by multiple monsoon systems coming from the east.

In short, the local topography could not sustain the rains or the amount of water, thus the rainwater inundating the region.

On the other hand, the region comprising northeastern and upper Punjab, Kashmir and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan is known as monsoon belt, where annual rainfall has reduced significantly during the past 40 years.

Defense Day in the Modern Era: Beyond the Battlefield

By

Dr. Mehmood Hussain

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September 6, 2024

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Every year Pakistan celebrates September 6 as a “Defense Day” to pay homage to the brave sons of the soil for their profound resilience, velour, and bravery. On September 6, 1965, India violated the international border, invading Pakistan’s territory with indiscriminate aggression and power. In response, Pakistan’s armed forces with the support of the nation not only repulsed the aggression but also carried out offensive operations deep inside the Indian territory.

The Pakistan army, air force, and navy fought on the ground, air, and water and defeated Indians on every front in an incredible manner. The Indo-Pak war of 1965 continued for 17 days and caused thousands of casualties on both sides. Since World War II, the war experienced the largest tank fight engaging hundreds of armored vehicles and tanks on the battlefield. The Indian military seriously outnumbered Pakistan’s armed forces.

Pakistan’s armed forces with the support of the nation not only repulsed the aggression but also carried out offensive operations deep inside the Indian territory.

When infantry, air forces, and navy are compared, India had three times the strength. Nonetheless, the armed forces demonstrated unparalleled professionalism, audacity, and velour which is remembered today. In 1965, Pakistan made it possible to defend its geographical frontiers and repelled the Indian aggression through military weapons and equipment.

Nonetheless, defending national sovereignty and territorial borders has changed a lot since 1965. The military doctrines and warfare strategies have gone through tremendous transformation bringing new weapon systems, armaments, technologies, and delivery systems. In 1974, the detonation of an Indian nuclear bomb fundamentally transformed the future warfare between Pakistan and India, compelling Islamabad to develop its nuclear deterrence.

Therefore, in 1998, in response to Indian nuclear tests, Pakistan demonstrated its nuclear capability and became the seventh nuclear-capable state in the world. In addition to nuclear weapons, states are now facing emerging threats from the non-traditional domain: propaganda warfare, proxy war, human security, economic security, cyber security, and national cohesion. And Pakistan has no exception from all the evils of instability, anarchy, and chaos.

Today, the concept of national security has been fundamentally transformed involving comprehensive national security including human security.

Today the concept of national security ,been fundamentally transformed involving comprehensive national security including human security. The paradigm shift in the concept has amplified the importance of economic and cybersecurity, which is seriously eroding the national cohesion and unity of states. Pakistan holds a significant importance in the global and regional geopolitics, but is under serious duress due to emerging national security threats.

Apart from defending geographical frontiers from external aggression, economic self-sufficiency, and independence have become a challenge to contemporary Pakistan. Unfortunately, in the past few years, economic indicators have been worst performing due to ever-increasing borrowing, liquidation of foreign exchange reserves, and imbalance of payments. To meet the ever-increasing gap in revenue and expenses, Pakistan always seeks financial help from multilateral institutions (IMF and World Bank), as well as friendly nations, which compromises the nation’s sovereignty.

Apart from structural economic problems, rising corruption and unemployment have also contributed to the volatile economy of the country. As per the latest data published in 2024, unemployment in the country stood at around 8%, reflecting a challenging job market. It is estimated that around six million people in the country are living without a job, contributing to human insecurity, as such people could be used to wage a proxy war against Pakistan.

Cybersecurity is also necessary to safeguard Pakistan’s banking systems, critical national databases, and business information.

Cybersecurity has also become an integral pillar of a nation’s security and independence. If its cyber networks are vulnerable to enemy attacks, it not only loses valuable economic resources, rather its top-secret data is also compromised. Due to limited infrastructure and technological vulnerabilities, Pakistan has seen serious threats in recent years.

It has been a target of cyber espionage, particularly from neighboring countries and other actors seeking sensitive military data and political information. Cybersecurity is also necessary to safeguard Pakistan’s banking systems, critical national databases, and business information. Though, Pakistan enacted the “Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in 2016, enforcement and governance remain weak, leading to serious threats to Pakistan’s digital infrastructure.

Apart from cyber security, Pakistan is also witnessing fifth-generation warfare (5GW). It is is defined as the information manipulation, use of cyber tactics, and psychological operations. In the recent past, Pakistan has seen persistent attacks of 5GW warfare from its enemies to exploit its political fault lines, erode national unity and cohesion, and reorganize the security landscape. Disinformation and propaganda have been utilized to malign Pakistan’s armed forces and to create a distance between the army and the people of the country.

Disinformation and propaganda have been utilized to malign Pakistan’s armed forces and to create a distance between the army and the people.

Frequent instances have been reported on different social media platforms, targeting the top leadership of the military as well as its martyrs, who have laid their lives for the people of Pakistan. In addition, the enemies are using similar tactics to equate Pakistan with the rogue regimes involved in massive human rights crimes, ethnic tensions, and political strife.

Political polarization, ethnic fault lines, and religious extremism are yet another challenge to Pakistan’s defense. Political polarization is equated with the extreme rivalry between different political factions of the country, leading to the blatant refusal to engage in a national dialogue to resolve political differences.

One such example is the serious differences between the PTI and the PML-N. The political differences are further compounded when traditional and social media have been utilized to target rival political leadership and promote biased narratives, which potentially leads to the erosion of trust in the political process and democratic institutions.

Similarly, Pakistan’s diverse ethnic landscape has led to tensions among its various groups. Baluchistan is the most prominent example of ethnic violence and separatist movements. The people from the province complain about the underdevelopment and resource erosion by the federal government. Groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) supported by external actors are targeting the paramilitary forces and civilians.

Ethnic tensions in Sindh are visible between Muhajirs and Sindhis. MQM has long represented the Muhajir community but has been involved in violent activities against rival ethnic groups, further destabilizing the province. In addition, Religious extremism is the most pressing issue in contemporary Pakistan. Various religious groups have exploited religious sentiments to promote sectarian violence, militancy, and terrorism. Such groups are using indiscriminate force against their rivals killing innocent people.

Political polarization, ethnic fault lines, and religious extremism are yet another challenge to Pakistan’s defense.

Given the above discussion, it is imperative to reconsider defense priorities of Pakistan. Besides countering external aggression from India, countering 5GW, attaining economic independence, gaining political stability, safeguarding digital infrastructure and critical national security secrets from cyber-attacks, and curtailing political polarization, ethnic divergences, and religious extremism should be the foremost priority of the decision-makers. Once we contain internal security threats, we will be able to fight our adversaries on the geographical frontiers, otherwise, we may not be able to celebrate another “Defense Day”.

Muhammad Yunus Has Read The Writing On The Wall

By

Saleem Samad

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September 6, 2024

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Commemorating the Monsoon Revolution by the students who deposed Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina, the Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus made a scornful remark. He told Delhi to shut Hasina’s mouth while living in exile in India.

In an interview with the Indian news agency PTI, Dr Yunus also gave a message that the Iron Lady would be extradited to Bangladesh to face the music of justice for the deaths of more than nearly a thousand students and youths during the July massacre, the enforced disappearance, extrajudicial deaths of opponents and critics.

“She [Hasina] has to be brought back, or the people of Bangladesh won’t be at peace. The atrocities she has committed must be addressed through a trial here,” said the inventor of microcredit, the founder of Grameen Bank.

This was a slap on Delhi’s ‘Sarkar’, which India did not expect from the interim government – a big embarrassment for India.

“She [Hasina] has to be brought back, or the people of Bangladesh won’t be at peace.”

Hasina hastily fled, when the students and protesters on August 5 marched to Gonobhaban, the official residence of the Bangladesh Prime Minister. Tens of thousands from east, west, north and south joined the rally, the Bangladesh Army responsible for her security, forcibly whisked her away to a military airfield, a kilometer away and air dashed her to an air force base, adjacent to Dhaka International Airport. She boarded a transport plane and flew to Delhi, sinking her party’s boat (election symbol). She also abandoned thousands of leaders and millions of members of her party, the Awami League.

In the absence of a backup plan, the dumbstruck leaders and members of the Awami League either went into hiding and many tried to leave the country. Few managed to fly away. Some paid a hefty price to human traffickers and crossed the porous international border to India.

At Hindon Air Base near Delhi, where the Bangladesh Air Force transport plane landed, there she is still living in a safe house for a month. After hectic negotiations with several “friendly” Western countries, one after another her requests were turned down.

A top Indian diplomat stationed in Dhaka said what India would do when all countries have refused her applications for refugee status (political asylum).

The United States promptly revoked her 10-year multiple visa. Bangladesh’s new regime invalidated her Red and Green passports. Hasina is a stateless person. Delhi is now in a fix!

A top Indian diplomat stationed in Dhaka said what India would do when all countries have refused her applications for refugee status (political asylum)!

It is understood that Hasina is apparently under house arrest. She is neither allowed to venture out of the safehouse to take a stroll around the place nor to buy essentials from a military super shop nearby.

Her daughter Saima Wazed, who is employed as Regional Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia office in New Delhi, has not been able to meet her.

Saima in posts on Twitter (X) has given several excuses for her tight schedule and unable to hug her mother. Her elder brother in Washington DC had announced to visit Delhi and meet her mother. Unconfirmed news claims that Sajeeb Wazed Joy was asked not to arrive in Delhi, as he may not be able to meet her.

Many political observers say after Dr Yunus had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian authorities decided to sever all communications with the outside world and stay away from her.

Phones in the safe house are disconnected and she is unable to contact her loved ones as well as her party central leaders, who have fled the country. Both her son and daughter are conspicuously silent over Hasina’s incommunicado in India.

Except for Indian national security advisor Ajit Doval, none of the Indian officials and opposition leaders has paid a courtesy call to their loyal guests. This gives a clear message that India is uncomfortable with the status of their guest.

Dr Yunus will have an opportunity to meet with Modi at the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit in Bangkok this weekend. He will once again raise the issue of Hasina with Modi.

BIMSTEC links five countries from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka) and two from South-East Asia (Myanmar and Thailand).

Earlier, he cautioned Indian media not to play the Hindu card and invited journalists from India to visit Bangladesh. Indian media was agog on the persecution of Hindus, vandalism of Hindu business establishments and desecration of Hindu temples in expressing anger after the downfall of Hasina.

In a clever decision, Dr Yunus urged foreign journalists, especially Indian journalists to visit Bangladesh. Indian media has stopped beating in the bush.

In several interviews, Dr Yunus has told the international media, that the elections will be held only after a series of reforms are made to block autocratic government from taking control of the state institutions, which has been politicized and exploited by the ruling parties.

The politicization of state institutions – especially the judiciary, bureaucracy, law enforcement agencies and state media – was nothing new. Both the Begums – Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina – kept the institutions on their lap to dominate and dictate terms with loyalists.

The interim government has entrusted a think tank and several pundits to the White Paper Committee, which is responsible for identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

Both the Begums – Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina – kept the institutions on their lap to dominate and dictate terms with loyalists.

The White Paper Committee on the economy has sought public opinion through social media. They sought feedback on the accuracy and reliability of government statistics; current challenges in macroeconomics; review of GDP growth; inflation trends and their impacts; poverty, inequality and vulnerability; internal resource extraction; assessment of priorities in allocation of government expenditure; foreign exchange balance and credit capacity, evaluation of mega-projects, actual condition of the banking sector; energy and power sector situation; business environment and private investment; illegal money and money laundering; labor market dynamics and youth employment; foreign labor markets and migrant workers’ rights.

The Yunus administration has repealed the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir

Plans are afoot to make the election commission an independent institution and reforms of the electioneering system would allow inclusivity and transparency.

Hasina during her tenure failed to hold free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, which were all flawed.

She deliberately kept the opposition out of the electioneering and jailed 10,000 leaders and members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami – an Islamist party – accused of terrorism and attacks on government properties, which enabled the government to keep the opposition languish in prison for a long time.

The Yunus administration has repealed the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, stressing that the organisations are not involved in terrorist activities. This decision has invited backlash from Mukti Bahini, the 1971 war veterans and secularists.

Dr Yunus, who is chief adviser of the interim government, in an address to the nation on September 5 in commemoration of a month of minus Hasina’s autocratic regime, said the biggest challenge now is to heal the wounds created by misrule and autocracy.

He appealed for unity and coordination. “We all pledge that, as a nation, we will not allow the blood of the martyrs and the sacrifices of our injured brothers and sisters to be in vain.”

He pledged, “I want to assure them that we will never betray the dreams of the martyrs.”

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced a ‘national demographic emergency’

The newest UN World Population Prospects 2024 shows that the total fertility rate dropped from over six in 1960 to 0.72 in 2023.

South Korea appears to have neglected to monitor China’s long-run economic demography policy, while it was focused on catching up to Japan.

This follows the earlier historic rapprochement brokered by China between Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023.

In January 1965, when the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed, China was among the first countries to recognize it.

China and Saudi Arabia are engaged in discussions to have their oil trade done partially in Chinese yuan.

There is a shift in the global balance of economic and political power away from West to the East.

Pakistan’s armed forces with the support of the nation not only repulsed the aggression but also carried out offensive operations deep inside the Indian territory.

Today, the concept of national security has been fundamentally transformed involving comprehensive national security including human security.

Cybersecurity is also necessary to safeguard Pakistan’s banking systems, critical national databases, and business information.

Disinformation and propaganda have been utilized to malign Pakistan’s armed forces and to create a distance between the army and the people.

Political polarization, ethnic fault lines, and religious extremism are yet another challenge to Pakistan’s defense.

“She [Hasina] has to be brought back, or the people of Bangladesh won’t be at peace.”

A top Indian diplomat stationed in Dhaka said what India would do when all countries have refused her applications for refugee status (political asylum)!

Both the Begums – Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina – kept the institutions on their lap to dominate and dictate terms with loyalists.

The Yunus administration has repealed the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir

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