A Leader Without Strategy: Collapse of USSR And Ukraine War

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September 1, 2024

In Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged”, there is a story about an oak tree that was next to the main characters’ estate. A large, powerful oak tree from the outside….. We will return to this interesting episode at the end of this article, but now let’s recall the memoirs of National Security Advisor Scowcroft and President Bush “A world transformed”, where the latter, summarizing his feelings about the collapse of the USSR, noted that on the one hand he dreamed of the collapse of the USSR, and on the other hand he had no idea how it should happen. At the same time, Bush’s fear of an uncontrolled, bloody collapse of the USSR motivated him to support Gorbachev in his reforms and his desire to preserve the USSR.

What kind of strategy could we talk about for the post-Soviet countries? Of course, only an inertial one.

This shows that the US had no strategy for the collapse of the USSR at that time. US foreign policy did not have a strategic vision for the USSR. At the same time, President Bush stated that it was then, in those conditions, and in the future, that only the United States could fulfill the role of world leader. Question comes here: How can there be a world leader without a strategy?

In his memoirs “A Russian Hand”, President Clinton’s advisor Talbot noted that Condoleezza Rice once said that during the 1990s, US foreign policy was nameless. That’s right, because what else can you call a foreign policy that has no strategy?

If the United States had no strategy for the USSR in terms of its collapse, i.e., it was moving inertially, what kind of strategy could we talk about for the post-Soviet countries? Of course, only an inertial one. Therefore, the mistakes made by US leaders, especially Clinton, such as taking away Ukraine’s security tool to deter Russia, nuclear weapons, or NATO’s too long pause on Ukraine’s appearance on the agenda of future membership, are quite natural.

But it is time to assess President Biden’s foreign policy. First, let’s go back to August 2016, three months before the presidential elections, Vice President Biden published an article in Foreign Affairs entitled “Building on Success: Opportunities for the Next Administration. Vice President Biden addressed his message to the US presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Foreign policy was the main component of that address. So, what did Vice President Biden advise President Biden in 2016? What advice did he give regarding Russia? How did Vice President Biden incorporate that message addressed by Kissinger in his foreign policy advice in 2016?

Ukraine has been a geopolitical experiment of the world’s great powers since the 90s, bleeding.

In 2015, Kissinger addressed a message related to the US foreign policy and Russia from the point of view of the strategy: “Still, Russia is mounting an offensive on the border on which, paradoxically, it is least inherently threatened…We need to address the immediate challenges Russia poses while also defining a context for its long-term role in the international equilibrium.”

In 2016 Biden responded with the following:

“The same is true with regard to Russia, with which the United States should continue to pursue a policy that combines the urgent need for deterrence, on the one hand, with the prudent pursuit of tactical cooperation and strategic stability, on the other. Russia’s illegal attempt to annex Crimea and its continued aggression in eastern Ukraine violate foundational principles of the post–Cold War order: sovereignty and the inviolability of borders in Europe. In response, we have rallied our allies in Europe and elsewhere to impose real costs on Moscow, making clear that this pressure will continue until Russia upholds its commitments under the agreements reached in Minsk aimed at ending the conflict.”

The US foreign policy was too static or even inert to prevent the Russia invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

As we saw in 2022, Minsk was neither a war prevention nor a tool for ending the conflict that had been going on since 2014. The call to partners in Europe to “impose real costs on Moscow” also did not work. It seems that the US foreign policy was too static or even inert to prevent the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and modus vivendi between Washington and Moscow was far from achieved. Rather, regional security challenges echoed from the early 90s again.

All dusty issues of the 90s, prematurely sent to the US policy archives, needed to be pulled out and finally resolved. Vice President Biden advised to deter Russia but it’s absolutely not clear how this advice relates to Ukraine. It seems that he missed out on resolving the fundamental issues of regional security related to Ukraine, which had echoed from the early 90s:

“…the combination of our $3.4 billion European Reassurance Initiative and NATO’s new forward deployments in Poland and the Baltics will strengthen our European allies and provide a bulwark against further Russian aggression. For years, we’ve also encouraged Europe to spend more on defense and to diversify its energy supplies in order to reduce its susceptibility to coercion. Now we’re starting to see progress on these fronts. And the next administration should redouble the United States’ commitment to strengthening NATO and our partnership with the EU, even as London and Brussels negotiate their ongoing relationship”.

Can there be leadership without strategy?

Now let’s look at a recent article about Biden’s foreign policy in Foreign Affairs magazine. The author seeks to restore Biden’s political reputation by saying that Biden’s foreign policy is US leadership, but without world hegemony. The author says that Biden’s achievement is that he has not resorted to the military tools of geopolitics and has shown the power of diplomacy. This is worth asking: What kind of power of diplomacy are we talking about? The one that leaves two wars in Ukraine and the Middle East after Biden? He even beat Trump here, who left him only one in 2021, the war in Afghanistan. And the main question is this: Can there be leadership without strategy?

What strategy did Biden use for Russia, the war in Ukraine, and security in Europe? The third year of the war in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed, every fourth Ukrainian is considered a refugee. Ukraine has been a geopolitical experiment of the world’s great powers since the 90s, bleeding. Is this evidence of a foreign policy strategy? Is this evidence of powerful diplomacy? History, of course, will make an assessment, but history is not able to bring back to life people who have fallen victim to geopolitical disorder, foreign policy phobias that only fueled aggression, and the lack of a reliable world leader and, as a result, the devaluation of the moral imperative.

And now let’s go back to Ayn Rand’s famous novel “Atlas Shrugged”. There is a story about an oak tree that was next to the main characters’ estate. A big, powerful oak tree from the outside. That’s what everyone around thought. And then thunder struck, lightning hit the oak and split it. Everyone around was surprised, because the oak was the embodiment of strength. But when they looked inside the oak tree, they saw…. dust – the oak tree was rotten. Everyone realized everything. The United States has long needed to make a frank assessment of the state of its “geopolitical oak tree” and treat it, so that people in the world do not become surprised, just as Ayn Rand’s characters said, “for every such oak tree there is a lightning bolt.”

For every such oak tree, there is a lightning bolt.

The United States and the world now need a leader who, first of all, will be able to recognize the mistakes made by the United States after the end of the Cold War and build on this to create a new global security architecture where countries that used to serve as a buffer zone, including Ukraine, finally have a reliable security status. The world and the US need a leadership, wise, responsible and decisive at the same time.

Afghan Taliban And Violations of Doha Agreement

By

Iftikhar Hussain Jazib

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August 31, 2024

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The interim Afghan government is facing international criticism for violating the Doha accord by engaging in gender discrimination and supporting international terrorist organizations. Unfortunately, the Afghan Taliban are perpetrating social injustice under the guise of Islamic ideology, thereby defaming Muslims worldwide.

Islam places a lot of emphasis on fulfilling promises, and it prohibits violations of agreements made even with enemies (Quran, chapter 5, verse 1): “O you who believe, fulfill the contracts.” On the contrary, the Afghan Taliban have resorted to deceit and lies about their obligations under the Doha agreement. Indeed, throughout its existence, the nature of the Taliban movement has been deceptive.

The Afghan Taliban are perpetrating social injustice under the guise of Islamic ideology, thereby defaming Muslims worldwide.

Like the late Mullah Omar, the current supreme commander, Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada, never mixed with ordinary people in Afghanistan, even in the district of Kandahar. He recently issued an audio statement and a letter addressed to the people of Afghanistan about introduction of further harsh measures in the name of jihad and Shariah to purge opposition forces.

The ideological credentials of the Taliban movement are questionable, given that CIA-trained fighters who abandoned Islamic religious education to join the war against the former Soviet Union adopted the title “Taliban”, meaning students.

The American CIA groomed them for violence under a special scheme of training and education. Seminaries under the Taliban’s control gave these fighters religious titles such as Mullah and Mufti, even though they never completed Islamic religious education.

Ironically, these unqualified Ulema became teachers in seminaries, while intellectual corruption was rampant among the Afghan Taliban. Therefore, the Afghan Taliban operate like warlords, and their use of violence is not to the principles of Islamic Shariah. Pakistan, the KSA, and the UAE recognized the 1996 Taliban regime. Still, they responded by giving shelter to Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and al Qaeda terrorists to create problems for these countries.

Islam places a lot of emphasis on fulfilling promises, and it prohibits violations of agreements made even with enemies (Quran, chapter 5, verse 1): ‘O you who believe, fulfill the contracts’.

Moreover, they ignored Pakistan’s warnings regarding international terrorists, and al Qaeda planned 9/11 attacks on the soil of Afghanistan. As a result, the region endured a two-decade-long struggle against terrorism. Unfortunately, the current Taliban government is repeating those mistakes by providing safe havens to perpetrators of violence in Pakistan.

The Afghan Taliban have a history of deceitful conduct, breaking promises, and violating agreements. Saudi prince Turki Al-Faisal had documented his experience dealing with Mullah Omar as chief of the intelligence service, and his book “The Afghanistan File” revealed some shocking aspects of the Afghan Taliban. Prince Turki met with Mullah Omar in June 1998, and he committed to hand over Osama bin Laden in the presence of members of the Afghan Taliban, Saudi officials, and Pakistani officials.

Subsequently, the Afghan Taliban backtracked on this commitment, and Prince Turki had another meeting in September 1998. Mullah Omar shocked him by refusing to admit that a commitment had been made. The announcement of Mullah Omer’s death in 2015 and the revelation that the Taliban leaders were hiding his death for two years provided further evidence of their deceptive conduct.

Moreover, the controversies over the selection of Mullah Omer’s successor divided the Taliban, and commanders such as Mullah Muhammad Rasool and Mullah Mansoor Dadullah parted ways with them, resulting in heavy fighting with the leadership.

Ironically, these unqualified Ulema became teachers in seminaries, while intellectual corruption was rampant among the Afghan Taliban.

Despite Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada’s announcement of a jihad to enforce Shariah in Afghanistan, racism led to the formation of an interim Afghan government. It violates Shariah laws, which uphold social justice and emphasize inclusive participation in government affairs. The Afghan Taliban have banned girls’ education, and they do not allow women to work.

It is a violation of the Doha Accord, and Islam is also against gender discrimination. Mullah Haibatullah issued an edict against forced marriages in December 2021, but Taliban commanders continue this practice. The oppression against women is crossing all limits. As a result, parents are marrying young girls to save them from the Taliban, and incidents of suicide among women are on the rise. The situation exposed Mullah Haibatullah and the interim Afghan government to ideological paradoxes.

Support for terrorist outfits is another major ideological paradox for the Afghan Taliban. Mullah Haibatullah proclaimed to outlaw jihad and prohibit the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan, according to the Afghan Taliban’s claims. They denied the existence of TTP leaders in Afghanistan, and they repeatedly announced the arrest of anti-Pakistan militants.

However, multiple UN reports revealed that they are financially supporting TTP militants, and members of the Afghan Taliban are participating in terrorist activities in Pakistan. Such a deceitful approach is against the spirit of friendship and brotherly relations with a neighboring Muslim country. Furthermore, they are facilitating al Qaeda in violation of the Doha agreement.

The Afghan Taliban have a history of deceitful conduct, breaking promises, and violating agreements.

These blatant violations of Shariah laws, disrespect for women, indiscriminate use of violence, and lack of governance depict the Afghan Taliban as ideologically hollow. They could not demonstrate the capacity to form and implement policies for the welfare of Afghans. Therefore, they are using violence as an Achilles heel, and the international community is losing patience over violations of the Doha agreement.

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

By

Info Desk

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August 31, 2024

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ISLAMABAD – Imran Khan – the then prime minister – and his close aide Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed had agreed to reverse the FATA merger – a demand made by the Afghan Taliban and Al Qaeda.

This startling revelation was made by Murtaza Solangi in The Weekend – a weekly program co-hosted by Muhammad Ali.

He negated the impression created by Imran about his efforts to eliminate the outlawed TTP. The PTI founder is claiming that he and Faiz had persuaded the Afghan Taliban after the Kabul takeover in August 2021 to act swiftly against the terrorist organization which is now based in Afghanistan.

However, the facts are against Imran’s claims, as the TTP has been conducting terrorist attacks in Pakistan while using Afghanistan as a base. And the Afghan Taliban aren’t paying attention to the repeated demands made by Islamabad.

But the issue is even more serious given the fact that Solangi says the demand was put forward by the Afghan Taliban, not the TTP. It shows that Imran and Faiz were ready to violate national sovereignty only to please a foreign entity and support transnational jihadist organizations.

However, it wasn’t just the Afghan Taliban as al Qaeda too wanted the same, says Solangi, showing the nexus between these outfits, right from the ideological to the operational levels.

The other two demands were resettling the TTP members and their families in Pakistan along with paying millions in term of compensation to them.

Imran has already proudly admitted the TTP resettlement, saying that the move was meant for bringing peace to Pakistan. However, the only thing we have got since then is an alarming rise in terrorism.

Solangi said the Afghan Taliban had never promised to eliminate the TTP, adding, “The Afghan Taliban, al Qaeda and TTP are joined at the hip.”

GLOBAL TERROR OUTFITS ARE GREATER THAN SOVEREIGNTY!

The erstwhile FATA was a lawless region located along the Pak-Afghan border. The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [formerly known as North West Frontier Province] had no say in the administration there.

Pakistani laws applicable to other parts of the country were not applied there as the federal government nominally governed the region through a political agent – the person responsible for administration in a tribal agency. For administrative purposes, FATA was divided into seven tribal agencies.

However, the 25th Amendment ensured the merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which introduced basic concepts of state to the region and extended their basic rights to the local population.

But Solangi says the agreement meant that Faiz moved the Supreme Court through his proxies to get the 25 Amendment declared as unconstitutional.

Hence, Imran and Faiz were ready to violate the country’s sovereignty at the behest global terrorist organizations.

WHY DO THEY NEED A LAWLESS TRIBAL REGION?

The erstwhile FATA has remained a center for local and global terror organizations like al Qaeda, as it provided an opportunity to expand their operations beyond Afghanistan. Other outfits like ETIM and Daesh [IS-K] too are active across Pakistan’s western borders.

Military operations conducted by Pakistan in the past had forced the terrorists to take refuge in Afghanistan. However, the return of Afghan Taliban in Kabul means they see an opportunity to reassert themselves.

That’s why, Solangi says, both the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda were aiming at restoration of FATA so that they could operate freely in Pakistan and carry out terrorism acts around the world.

However, they also had a long-term view, as Solangi says the proposed move was designed as a guarantee in case the world powers again toppled the Afghan Taliban government in future.

In that case, FATA would have served as a safe haven for these terrorists by allowing them to relocate and concentrate in the region, he explained.

IMRAN: A LONG-TIME ALLY

The information shared by Solangi shouldn’t be a surprise for us, as Imran is the one who declared Osama bin Laden a martyr.

Moreover, he even repeatedly called for allowing the Taliban to open offices in Pakistan, thus giving a legitimacy to terrorists.

But most important thing to note that Imran always labels military action in erstwhile FATA as a mistake or a blunder.

Hence, the demand to revoke FATA merger shared his views and vision. He fully believed in what he was doing – giving a base to global terrorist organizations.

Hidden Brides of Pakistan

By

Adnan Sami

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August 30, 2024

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Child marriage takes away the right to education, a safe healthy childhood, and the quality of life that leads to ease the economic opportunities. A girl married at the age of 14 or 15, is compelled to leave school, remains unaware of the quality of life, and education can bring devastating consequences for future generations.

The girl married in her teenage also has a lack of political and social empowerment. According to the UN, Pakistan has the 6th highest number of marriages before the age of 18.

Child marriage takes away the right to education, a safe healthy childhood, and the quality of life that leads to ease the economic opportunities

In Pakistan, mostly in rural areas, child marriage is prevalent due to a lack of awareness, education, custom norms, cultural supremacy, poverty, and patriarchal dominance. According to a study, girls are married when they are considered mature, not to reach a certain age. Some indications of maturity include starting menstruation, being able to take care of a child and family, and cooking and running their households. According to the report, in 2017 40% of girls were married before age 18.

The root cause of early child marriage is customary practice that is a violation of human rights. According to a survey conducted by UNICEF, in Pakistan one in three girls is married before reaching the age of 18. According to the Pakistan Child Marriage Act 1929, the legal age for boys and girls is 18 and 16, respectively. However, in 2013 the Sindh assembly passed a resolution to raise the age for marriage to 18 years for both boys and girls.

The girls married before 18, always perceiving fear and becoming vulnerable to domestic violence due to a lack of awareness and education. According to UNICEF, young girls in Pakistan between the ages of 15-19 around 24.3% faced the domestic violence most in last year. Moreover, these teen girls also confront problems during pregnancy and many teen girls die during childbirth. The reason behind this is early child marriage as the teen cannot endure giving birth to a Child.

Once married, the teen girls have little power to say in childbearing, and the mother-in-law has the decision-making power. Girls across Pakistan are being deprived of their social, political, and economic rights. This lack of empowerment is further exacerbated by gender and social inequality across the country. The society is considered a man-dominant also called patriarchal.

The root cause of early child marriage is a customary practice that is a violation of human rights

In Sindh, the change in climate change and rising temperatures are also one of the reasons behind child marriages. A case has been reported in Dadu District Sindh, a 14-year-old teen Shamila and her 13-year-old sister Amina were married off by her father in exchange for money to survive in floods, as monsoon broke out.

Further, to survive in the flood and to help out the family, child marriage is the first option for a family to receive some payment. The trend had previously dropped in Pakistan but again reached to peak, as an 18% increase was observed after the 2022 floods. Another case was reported where Najma Ali, a 14-year-old teen was married to a 9-year-old man than her, by receiving 250,000 from her husband’s side for wedding expenses.

“When you have an adolescent unmarried daughter sitting in the house, it is like a burden. Not because you don’t feed her, but because you have to take care of your honor. It is shameless when someone talks about your daughter outside,” said a 64-year-old man somewhere in Punjab.

“At the age of 15, I wished to play with other children in the streets, but I couldn’t because I was forced to marry a man who was double my age. Everybody except me, including my parents was happy,” a young girl explained how she had felt when she was married.

Another case was reported where a 10-year-old teen was forced to marry a 32-year-old cousin by their parents to save the land. By arranging marriage for their daughter, they saved their land.

However, poverty isn’t the only reason for early child marriage but because of lack of awareness and the tradition to consider the daughter a property mean it the parents will decide what is good and bad for her. This concept is widely accepted across Pakistan. Moreover, another factor behind early marriage is the cultural belief system. Most of the elders consider that a daughter should be married when she reaches puberty.

Girls across Pakistan are being deprived of their social, political, and economic rights

Another practice called ‘Swara’ is performed mostly in tribal or rural areas populated by Pashtun tribes. This concept means in case of allegations that a father or brother has sinned, their family must be constrained to give their young daughter in exchange for claims to get compensation. In a nutshell, the traditional perception about girls is integrated with cultural and religious practices as well as economic considerations across South Asia.

Several steps were taken in Pakistan by different organizations to end Child marriage. Girls Not Bride member Shirkat Gah runs a program called Humsathi. This program works to empower the girls by teaching them different skills and engaging them with their peers.

Hence, a girl named Hadiqa Bashir belonging to Swat witnessed her seven-year-old friend married. She then took a stand by not only refusing early marriage but also founded an organization (GUHRswat) to stop the inhuman practice. Another organization called Peace Foundation is also working on ending early child marriages, especially in Sindh by providing education to girls while also focusing on their skill development.

Child marriage had dropped in Pakistan but again reached a peak, with an 18% increase observed after the 2022 floods

Therefore, the government needs to take some innovative and imperative steps to end early marriages and demolish the worst human rights violation in the country. It needs to empower girls by introducing different skills programs to become economically independent, besides raising the minimum age for marriage to 18 years across Pakistan.

Also, the government should strictly implement the laws and punish those who violating the same. Meanwhile, ensuring that everyone has access to economic opportunities is also mandatory to curb the practice of child marriages. These steps will ensure awareness among young girls about their basic rights and enable them fight for the same rights.

Freedom of Inciting Violence: Billionaires Shaping The World

By

Arsalan Raja

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August 30, 2024

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BRAZIL:

A Supreme Federal Court judge in Brazil orders X – the social media platform owned by US billionaire Elon Musk – to block certain accounts for their involvement in promoting violence.

Alexandre de Moraes passed these orders after a thorough probe into “digital militias” comprising the supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro. They were spreading fake news and hate speech during his government.

Bolsonaro represents far-right. However, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist, made a come back after his conviction was overturned and defeated him the 2022 presidential election.

Meanwhile, X promises to comply with the orders. But the said X accounts continue to operate, forcing the top court judge to initiate an inquiry into Musk.

On the other hand, lawyers representing X later cite “operational faults” as the reason behind the users still managing to operate their accounts.

After a few months, Musk suddenly announces his decision to close operations in Brazil with an immediate effect as he describes the directives as “censorship orders”.

Meanwhile, social media is also blamed for the attacks on government buildings in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil. The supporters resorted to violence on January 8, 2023, a week after the inauguration of Lula. In fact, they replicated their far-right brethren in the US, who went for the Capitol Hill attack on January 6, 2021.

Both sets of people didn’t accept the election results in their respective countries, claiming rigging.

They believe in authoritarian rule where neither civil rights nor opposition have any room.

UNITED KINGDOM:

Riots erupt in different parts of the United Kingdom after brutal stabbing of three little girls in Southport on July 29. Ten persons, mostly children are also injured in the incident that occurred.

These riots are anti-immigrant in nature and orchestrated by far-right groups as rumors spread that the killer was a Muslim and had arrived in the country illegally.

It is an opportunity for the ultranationalist white supremacists to utilize the existing racist feelings and target the immigrants – Muslims, South Asians and other people of color. Many of their businesses were damaged.

However, the British law enforcement agencies and judiciary act swiftly. Hundreds of individuals in involved in these UK anti-immigrant riots are arrest. At least 500 of them are charged and 170 sent to prison after completing trials withing days.

On the other hand, Musk again cannot remain silent and predicts civil war in the United Kingdom through a post shared through X. The British government condemns the comments, forcing him to delete the post.

But continues with pro-far right mantra and criticizes the action taken against the rioters, thus promoting the idea of white supremacy.

Meanwhile, investigation shows that the source of this disinformation is a website Channel3Now operated by a person named Farhan Asif. Police in Pakistan decide to arrest him.

TELEGRAM:

Pavel Durov – a Russian billionaire with an estimated net worth of over $15 billion – is arrested in France over his failure to control criminal activities on Telegram.

He is the founder and CEO of this social media platform which attracts around 90 million users.

The French authorities detained him soon after his jet landed in Paris. He had arrived in France from Baku – the Azerbaijan capital – to attend a dinner despite being wanted in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Child pornography, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on Telegram are the among the charges being investigated.

He is an Emeriti citizen. Therefore, the UAE has now urged France to provide him with all consular services urgently.

Durov was born in Russia, but holds multiple nationalities including that of the UAE, France, Russia, and St Kitts and Nevis.

On the other hand, Musk is critical of the French officials for taking action against Doruv, as he considers it another attack on freedom of expression.

Please don’t forget that Telegram is one of the favorite social media apps of the far-right groups and individuals. The reason is simple: lack of check and balance. You can indulge in hate speech freely.

X – FORMERLY NAMED AS TWITTER

Musk acquires Twitter and renames it X. Since then, this social media service has lost its status as a platform where only serious debate is possible. Although the process had started before Musk invested billions in it, he is certainly responsible for accelerating the process. That’s why the European Union is investigating X over promoting hate speech and other affairs.

It is not just Musk who himself is projecting the far-right ideology and white supremacy on X. The platform has become a tool for all those sharing their views worldwide. He is positioning himself as champion of democracy and freedom of speech.

A post shared is an example. A person holding a mike can be seen asking a young American woman – who is a Democrat – whether she would choose democracy or abortion. She is forced to select one which is abortion. Thus, she is portrayed as someone, who is against democracy, to create an impression that the Democrats are against democratic values.

Now check the formulation of question as if having the power to make your personal decisions and control your body is something undemocratic. It is enough to understand how the propaganda machine works for the far-right groups who champion freedom of speech only to snatch democratic freedoms.

PAKISTAN:

Just days after his arrest, a local court in Lahore acquits Farhan of the charges with an argument that his role in fueling the anti-immigrant protests cannot be established.

The acquittal isn’t something surprising as the Pakistani courts previously too have released many people involved in inciting violence against state institutions and functionaries as well as other individuals by using social media.

Same is the case with the May 9 episode for which social media had been used actively. In fact, this organized propaganda is going on for several years – even much before May 9 and after that. It is a product of coordinated efforts and executed by many players at different levels.

However, many well-known journalists, human right activists and political leaders describe it as freedom of expression. Any action against such individuals is an attack on democracy and civil liberties, they say.

Meanwhile, the social media-based hate campaign continues, as the usual suspects target Chief Justice Faez Isa yet again.

At the same, some Pakistani journalists now sitting in countries like the US and others are suggesting that Imran Khan controls Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and can shut all communications with the rest of Pakistan whenever he wants. It’s a clear incitement to violence. A desire to repeat the May 9 events after the failure to punish the culprits?

Again, all the posts inciting violence in Pakistan are available on X. Musk won’t take any action. He is taking refuge in freedom of speech. There is no check. No one knows how the issue should be dealt with.

CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE

Gone are the days when minds were made hostage to the information of shared by the big media houses. They have been a few tech giants who are treating the people as just another consumer while making them believe they are free to express themselves without being influenced. It is a plain lie as social media algorithms decide what we see or read.

In a polarized society, we, the people, are now living in ecochambers and only rely on those news items or analysis or social and political commentaries that reinforce our worldview.

Meanwhile, Musk has now said that X will boost the reach of smaller accounts at the cost of bigger ones. In other words, the far-right ideals, which remained peripheral since the World War II, will now get even a bigger boost. Reason? The US presidential election is to be held in November this year and he has endorsed Donald Trump.

IS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION SOLE CIVIL LIBERTY?

Democracy suggests the idea of civil rights. The list has expanded with the passage of time. The concept of individual rights is a product of socioeconomic developments triggered by scientific and technological advancement and the resultant changes in social relations.

The worldwide emphasis on unchecked freedom of expression is a consequence of the First Amendment that the United States has. It isn’t a surprise the cutthroat competition between the far right and the rest in main stream and social media is most lethal and visible in the US. Hence, the polarization has reached a frightening level.

However, no country in the Europe has ever opted of the path chosen by the United States. There is no First Amendment. There are effective rules and regulations to curb defamation and disinformation. But social media has changed the entire dynamics. Even these nations are feeling the heat with the European Union pressing the social media giants to stop the spread of hate speech and incitement to violence.

Meanwhile, this trend means anyone of us can object to the attire of women and publicly humiliate or a give sermon to them over venturing out of their homes for education and jobs.

Don’t you notice the complete agreement between you and the extremists?

It means a country like Pakistan is also facing the same question which needs an answer from those who want to protect the elements involved in incitement to violence under the banner of democracy.

What is your overall opinion about the concept of civil rights? What the list in your mind? Why freedom of expression is the only focus? Have you noticed that you are paving the way for those who stand for curbing the very idea of democracy?

Surely, you can’t be a democrat or a human rights champion if you are against the concepts of women empowerment or an individual’s ability to choose a particular way of life and stand by those who openly argue in favor of the TTP.

TTP: An Emerging Global Terror Threat

By

Shahzad Masood Roomi

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August 30, 2024

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During a UN Security Council meeting on August 8, 2024, Vladimir Voronkov, the UN Undersecretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, named IS-K (Islamic State-Khorasan) group as the “greatest external terrorist threat” to Europe. This is at a time when its recruitment efforts and financial and logistical capabilities have been rationalized, particularly in the last six months, mainly with the help of Afghan and Central Asian diaspora communities.

IS-K has emerged as a powerful global menace

The rise of IS-K creates a serious threat to regional stability, especially for Afghanistan and its neighbors. The Taliban boasted that it has diminished the operational capacity of IS-K; however, the terrorist group is still gaining resources and recruits from Afghan and Central Asian diasporas. Voronkov warned that unless advanced counter-terrorism strategies with cooperation by the neighboring states are formed, Afghanistan will revert to being a “hotbed of terrorism.”

Fears of IS-K began to mount after the horrific incident that occurred in Russia in March 2024, where the outfit was blamed for an attack on a concert hall in Krasnogorsk, killing 144 people. The claims that IS-K has emerged as such a powerful global menace, without having even a single stronghold in Afghanistan, invite critical questions: How did IS-K become so much powerful? Why is the Taliban regime unable to rein in the group? And finally, is this threat assessment about IS-K match the ground realities in Afghanistan where it is claimed to be based in?

Formed in 2015 as an adversary to the Afghan Taliban, IS-K first clashed with them. The Taliban tried to undermine the influence of IS-K but was further challenged by the recruitment of the TTP members by IS-K. From 2016 to 2019, the Pakistan Army’s anti-terrorism campaign dismantled the TTP strongholds in the country; hence, the TTP was forced to relocate to Afghanistan. During this period many TTP fighters joined IS-K. It wasn’t until August 2021 that IS-K posed any fair challenge to the Taliban’s authority once they regained control in Afghanistan.

The Taliban boasted that it has diminished the operational capacity of IS-K

During this time, Islamabad was always pressing Kabul to curtail the terror activities of TTP inside Pakistan from Afghan territory. Contrarily, the Taliban’s reaction was beyond expectations; they declared TTP as an internal matter of Pakistan despite knowing that the banned outfit’s leadership was residing in Afghanistan. Afghan Taliban practically refused to fulfill the promise according to the Doha Accord of not allowing Afghan soil to be used against any neighboring country. The TTP then swore allegiance to the Taliban, which further complicated Pakistan’s efforts to reduce cross-border terrorism.

The earliest contact between IS-K and TTP was limited to initial cooperation and competition based on their shared goals and the varying landscape of the turf war against the Afghan Taliban. On an ideological front, the Salafi-jihadism of TTP and IS-K made for a good basis in terms of logistics, particularly during joint operations against Pakistani security forces.

As the time went on, though, the Afghan Taliban’s increased collaboration with TTP, after it announced allegiance to their leader, ushered in a decline in IS-K influence in Afghanistan. Hundreds of its fighters switched sides and some of the commanders were eliminated in operations conducted by the special forces of the Afghan Taliban.

A UN report dated July 26, 2020, reported: “The IS-K suffered significant reversals in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.” Despite minimal Afghan government actions against IS-K over the last two years, it continued proclaiming IS-K as an imminent threat to the world, presenting their government as a counter-terrorism partner to the international community. There have been repeated attacks by IS-K against Hazaras since August 2021, causing many casualties, and some even suspect the Afghan Taliban’s complicity in these attacks.

IS-K is a diplomatic ploy the Taliban exploits to deflect international criticism

IS-K, some counterterrorism experts increasingly believe, is a diplomatic ploy the Taliban exploits to deflect international criticism of human rights abuses. This further-ensuring alliance makes TTP an operationally quite effective arm for cross-border terrorism by the Afghan Taliban, a serious security threat even beyond the region, with Pakistan being the prime target.

Several incidents inside Pakistan have been carried out by TTP but for those IS-K has taken the claim. For example, a suicide bombing on a political rally in Bajaur killed more than 60 people in July 2023. Similarly, in September 2023, another suicide attack claimed 52 lives in the Mastung district of Balochistan.

Investigations into all these attacks established that the terror acts had been planned and controlled by the TTP leadership in Afghanistan. In this regard, in November 2023, Islamabad passed a warning to the Afghan Taliban to either stand with Pakistan or the TTP.

However, it seems that the Afghan Taliban have inclined more towards TTP and formed a serious security threat to Pakistan, which has been fighting for the past 22 years. Much like in the post-USSR era, the US withdrawal from Afghanistan left Pakistan alone to deal with the fallout of this hasty decision. The continued coalition between TTP and the Afghan Taliban is far graver a threat to regional security and stability than IS-K alone.

The Afghan Taliban declared TTP as an internal matter of Pakistan

It is high time for the world to revisit the threat assessment emanating from Afghanistan where IS-K is just a bogyman used by TTP and their Afghan Taliban patrons for strategic communication where Afghan Taliban present themselves as the harbingers of some peace and order in the country.

They want the world to ignore all the human rights abuses being carried out by the Kabul regime. TTP is acting as an operational arm primarily targeting Pakistan but has capabilities to carry out terror activities beyond Pakistan and Afghanistan. TTP is the real existential threat to global peace and security and ignoring this threat will only put global peace at greater peril.

China-India Relations And Implications For The Region

By

Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi

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August 30, 2024

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India-China relations have long been fractious. The bilateral ties have remained disturbed by an unsettled border, unequal trade relationship, China’s strategic ties to Pakistan, India’s strategic partnership with the US and a broadening political-strategic divergence over each other’s perceived position in Asia and beyond. The relationship has suffered from an acute lack of strategic trust since the June 2020 border clash in Galwan, which reversed much of the progress achieved on the border-management regime that had been patiently negotiated, designed and agreed to over decades between the two countries. The unresolved dispute along the border also impacts the security dynamics and strategic environment of South Asia.

Their relations are also afflicted by a complex and evolving strategic, political and economic interests that over time have converged and diverged. China’s preeminence and influence in the Indian Ocean makes it another arena for the US- China strategic rivalry. Historically, India has been the dominant power in the region and is not comfortable with the phenomenal rise of China, challenging India’s influence on states around the Indian Ocean Rim. This complex interplay of relations between China, the US, India, Pakistan and Russia have serious consequences not just for the region, but for the world in general.

China’s preeminence and influence in the Indian Ocean makes it another arena for the US- China strategic rivalry.

Beijing has enhanced its economic and political influence over the entire Indian Ocean region in the past two decades. It has created a network of commercial facilities, the string of pearls, and strengthened its economic relations with countries of the region, particularly strategically located Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and other Indian Ocean Rim and Pacific nations.

India tried to build strong diplomatic ties with other countries in the region through its “island diplomacy” and initiatives such as the Security and Growth for all in the region maritime cooperation. However, China’s massive investment in through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Security Initiative (GSI) make it quite difficult for India to sustain its economic and political influence in the region.

The world is undergoing profound changes, increasing sources of turbulence and risks around. Significant political, strategic and economic transformation is in the works with clear indications of the world transforming from a unipolar to a multipolar world order. India is aspiring to be one of the pillars of the new world order. Its alignment with the US in the latter’s attempts to restrain the rise of China brings it directly in a confrontational equation with Beijing.

India is aspiring to be one of the pillars of the new world order.

The US and India have substantially expanded their defense budgets incorporating new technologies further enhancing their capabilities. India openly admits that its defense capabilities are aimed against China and supports the US efforts to encircle it. In the Pacific, Australia, at the behest of the US and as member of QUAD, is now predominantly focusing on the Pacific Islands, Japan, and states situated off the eastern coast of China with difficult bilateral relations with China.

In the northeast of China, we see South Korea clearly demonstrating its preference for the United States in case of any confrontation, while India has been chosen to be the strategic partner in the Indian Ocean region. As a result, India continues to heighten tensions with China and Pakistan. On the other hand, tensions between the United States – and its allies including India – and China are escalating. The violent conflict at Galwan in 2020 clearly emphasized the growing Sino-Indian tensions despite the fact that they are tied together in a complicated tangle of converging and diverging strategic and economic interests. The situation has been made worse by growing nationalism and populism driving internal and international relations in Modi’s India.

China, for its part, is focused on its rivalry with the US. The fact that US Indo-Pacific strategy hinges on India’s support for Washington’s objectives in the region also drives much of the thinking in Beijing about India. China pays particular attention to US-India cooperation on emerging and disruptive technologies, as well as naval logistics. Both India and China are investing in national technological capacities to enhance their prosperity and security in space, communications, cyber security and underwater maritime domains, leaving little room for cooperation.

Despite all this, China has expressed its readiness to work with India to ameliorate their relations and manage their border issues, but the recent strengthening of the relationship between India and Taiwan, especially in technology-related matters, risks turning into a major issue that will make India-China relations more complicated. Both India and China insist that they want to rebuild trust but they cannot agree on the process. Because it currently has the upper hand, China would like trust building to remain a strictly bilateral matter and does not want organizations such as the G20 and the SCO, BRICS and even the ASEAN-led institutions to play any role in the so far hypothetical normalization process.

Both India and China are investing in national technological capacities

At the same time, we see that China has overtaken the US to become India’s largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade reaching $118.4bn in 2023–24. However, the trade balance is heavily in favor of Beijing. India imported over $100bn worth of goods from China in this period, while its exports were only $17bn. India, therefore, has a huge import dependency on China, particularly in the telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and advanced technology sectors, areas where China is now the world leader. It would, therefore, not be wrong to say that India and China have a binary relationship with internally conflicting dynamic of rivalry and partnership.

India imported over $100bn worth of goods from China in this period, while its exports were only $17bn.

The Indian Ocean is critical to global trade, security, geopolitics and geo-economics. Conflicting alignments of the three dozen littoral states, as countries compete for influence in its crowded waterways, has made this region a potential war theatre. How will the new power dynamics play out – particularly the US-China tensions as well as Pakistan-India and China-India rivalry – is a question that is gaining significance and urgency by the day and further endangering the stability of the region, enhancing challenges for global maritime trade flows. The growing interest of the major powers and the US-China competition in the Indian Ocean has serious implications for Pakistan.

Pakistan is not a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), where India is one of the founders. Pakistan is directly affected by the actions of these three states as China is a friend, India is a foe and the US a transactional partner. The IOR is the future of world politics. With India becoming the sixth largest economy of the world by bypassing France, it naturally has started to reassert itself in the region. The Indian hegemonic ambitions in the IOR are a matter of deep concern for China as it is heavily dependent on the safe and free access to the important trade routes traversing the Indian Ocean.

Developing countries, particularly Pakistan, will face severe challenges alongside with emerging opportunities. It needs to navigate these turbulent waters with great strategic vision and political sagacity if it wants to successfully emerge from this flux as a politically and economically strong nation. Further strengthening its all-weather strategic cooperative partnership with China while maintaining its friendly relations with the US and the Europe will be challenging but that is the only wise course of action to take for Pakistan. Therefore, the coming decades will be the real test of political and strategic farsightedness and a test for its diplomacy.

Under the new circumstances, the Pakistan and China should stand together even more firmly and push forward the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. CPEC has entered a new stage of high-quality development, and the cooperation between our two sides will have even greater potential. China supports Pakistan in exploring a development path suited to its own national conditions and is willing to share its high-quality development opportunities and contribute to the country’s industrialization, urbanization and digitization. This will strengthen the development foundation, enabling both China and Pakistan to achieve their development goals. Hence, aiming at achieving the high level of human development and national autonomy associated with a high-income status before the centennial anniversaries towards the middle of this century.

Belarus and Azerbaijan: Optimizing Confidence In BRICS membership

By

Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

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August 27, 2024

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Russia today is taking another pivotal moment in its history, (with a series of many landmark issues) under its presidency of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), referred to as informal association, consistently forging collaborative relations with developing countries. With the geopolitical situation heightening, tackling multiple challenges remain high on the organization’s agenda.

However, the evolving developments are positive and promising, particularly the increasing number of countries expressing their desire to join BRICS. It shows an interesting and indelible sign which reflects the necessity for the world’s reconfiguration. This factor indicates the urgent need for action to ensure a multifaceted change, a new global architecture embracing geopolitics, economy, and security as well as socio-cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Noticeably, Latin American countries and also in Asia and Africa regions want to join BRICS. There are many reasons including the desire of like-minded countries to deepen their cooperation under BRICS with a proper sense of respect.

In addition, BRICS follows an open-door vision and is committed to the fact that the principles governing this format – mutual respect, balance of interests, and a consensus-based approach – are very appealing. That’s why Belarus and Azerbaijan [former members of the USSR] have recently expressed their interest to become part of the platform.

“Azerbaijan has filed an official application for joining BRICS,” Azerbaijan’s news agency quoted Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Aykhan Hajizada. Baku’s intention to join BRICS was reflected in a joint declaration on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and China, which was signed on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Astana in early July.

Apart from that, Azerbaijani parliament speaker, Sakhiba Gafarova, said at a plenary session of the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in St Petersburg on July 11 that her country wanted to be a full-fledged BRICS member.

Russia and Belarus have already formed a Union State. In late July, and even long before that, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko publicly reiterated that Minsk had been invited to the BRICS summit, due to be held in Kazan in October. Lukashenko irreversibly promised Belarus ascension into BRICS. In this regard, he instructed the foreign ministry to draw up a plan for Belarusian participation and bilateral meetings on that platform.

Azerbaijan has filed an official application for joining BRICS.

However, Belarus sees BRICS as a basis for economic development and is ready to join integration processes within the framework of the informal association. “We are interested in getting involved in integration processes in that space. BRICS is another footing to help us maintain balance and economic stability,” the BelTA agency quoted Lukashenko as emphatically asserting.

Belarus and Azerbaijan are former Soviet republics, with common historical backgrounds despite the stark indications of disparity in approach to current politics and economic development, much remains uniquely common in cultural practice and society.

Undoubtedly, both the older and current generations have a comprehensive understanding of Soviet history and culture. Therefore, Belarus and Azerbaijan governments and their state institutions such as the cabinet, legislature, and judiciary, would endorse aligning to BRICS, and contribute towards shaping a new post-Soviet space within the framework of an emerging new geopolitical reality.

As the majority of countries around the world face new, modern-day challenges, it has become necessary to create conditions to combat Western and European threats to political and economic stability. The need to amplify their collective voices or positions in strengthening partnerships is illustrated by the BRICS agenda which is very broad.

The agenda is in line with the general motto adopted by Russia’s BRICS chairmanship, relating to the widest range of issues, including politics, security, economy, finance and education, sports, and humanitarian ties.

CHINESE AND INDIAN FACTORS

While China and India have historically warm multiple ties with Russia, and even from Soviet times, both as BRICS members maintain closer economic partnerships with the Western world. China has comparatively more presence than India in Belarus and Azerbaijan, but prospects exist for extensive collaboration through BRICS.

Within its calculated strategy, China has a large footprint in the region, thanks to its Belt and Road Initiative. But that aside, Belarus and Azerbaijan can still secure economic partnerships and harness their modern technology and scientific innovations. Furthermore, public-private partnerships are crucial mechanisms for mobilizing the necessary resources and expertise for development.

Belarus sees BRICS as a basis for economic development.

In terms of influence and economic presence, China is indiscriminately deepening its trading and investment relations across the entire former Soviet region, and the Eurasian Economic Union, using its version of – not confrontation – but it deemed acceptable as ‘mutual cooperation’ and polycentricity.

The 29th meeting between prime ministers of Russia and China (BRICS stalwart supporters of multi-polarity) reviewed economic cooperation and took cognizance of the huge untapped economic potentials generally in the Eurasian region, and specifically in the Russian Federation.

On August 21-22, Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Minsk and held talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko which resulted in agreements on investment and on a free trade area in the services sector. In addition, Belarus would host an industrial zone for China’s new quality productive forces concept based on technologies, innovations, and high-quality human potential.

This reflects the absolute possibility for Chinese technologies to enter the Belarusian market in large numbers as the core mid-term task for the two countries’ governments, until 2030. The new agreement will enable Belarus to increase exports of its services to China by at least 12%-15% within the next five years, while investment in Belarus will grow by at least 30%, according to reports.

India has good relations with Belarus and Azerbaijan. India’s interests included science and technology cooperation. It continues, at present time, seeking investment and resources through the Belarusian route for developing smart cities, improving the manufacturing sector, and increasing skill development, especially in the pharmaceutical industry.

China and India are both active in Russia. Mutual trade between Russia and China is developing successfully, and the two governments are working well towards this, Russian President Vladimir Putin has noted in Kremlin reports. According to the government office, bilateral trade blossomed up to $240.1 billion in June 2024.

RUSSIA’s BRICS DIPLOMACY

For now, though, after years of declining Russia’s influence in many parts of the world, Moscow is steadily rising up. And at least, being a member of BRICS plays a much supportive role. Russia’s presidency of the association has witnessed a stern position against increasingly Western ‘domineering powers’ in recent years, and more recently pressurizing countries to back sanctions against Russia for its ‘special military operations’ in neighboring Ukraine.

Several BRICS documents and communiques contained anti-Western positions, mostly against the United States’ hegemony and neo-colonial character. As an association of states, BRICS is guided in its efforts by the principles of mutual respect and consensus, which rule out any attempts to dictate one’s will or impose any totalitarian administrative and oversight practices.

BRICS offers a good opportunity for discussing international matters.

Reiterating here that BRICS offers a good opportunity for discussing international matters, including the emergence of a new world order with better justice for all, and making efforts to strengthen cooperation between BRICS and the countries of the Global South and East while enhancing their international role.

BRICS under Russia’s 2024 chairmanship has advanced steps to introduce its currency and a financial settlement and payment system platforms primarily targeting the de-dollarization process. Coordinated by the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) which was established in 2015, these existing measures would, most probably, lead to a drastic reduction in the use and over-dependence of the dollar as a global currency. In the economic sphere, the BRICS countries have been discussing ways to promote sustainable development, to support the multilateral trading system, and to improve the global financial architecture.

Despite the above, Vice Chairman of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sameep Shastri, and several state officials have indicated that BRICS member states are no longer attaching much importance to the dollar, one single currency, and are now successfully using national currencies.

This, in the first step, underscored the assertions that Western countries are the strongest economies in the world. Therefore in the ultimate analysis, the economic power is steadily, or rather rapidly, shifting from the West to the Global South.

CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

According to authentic estimates, more than 30 countries have applied to join BRICS, which now includes Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE — and in a collective pursuit of an uncomfortable non-aligned policy. Experts have, however, pointed to strong relations beyond ‘non-alignment’ and beyond the confines of BRICS.

As many countries express the desire to join BRICS, to incorporate their unique non-aligned political and economic values, so also in parallel dimension are challenges and, worse the competitiveness by key Western players and multinational organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

BRICS is simply an anti-Western association and has it own principles. The question over Belarus and Azerbaijan here also brings into focus Eurasian regional security. We know that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2001, following the collapse of the Soviet era.

Now the SCO is the successor to the Shanghai Five including China and Russia. In June 2017, it expanded to eight states, with India and Pakistan. Iran joined the group in July 2023, and Belarus in July 2024. Several countries are engaged as observers or dialogue partners.

With China, Iran, India, and Russia in BRICS, they share the same security interests. Moreso, Azerbaijan, and Belarus becoming BRICS members will fortify the SCO operations in the region. Our analytical studies further show unfolding remarkable opportunities with BRICS member countries for the next new members such as Azerbaijan and Belarus.

Azerbaijan has an observer status according to Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada. Azerbaijan will probably become a full member of the SCO in a little while, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said during his meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on July 3 in Astana.

The floodgates for new members have since been opened: The association now includes the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, two of the world’s biggest oil producers, and accounts for well over a quarter of the world’s GDP. Azerbaijan is also an oil producer in the region, and it could also serve as a smooth conduit for Russia to access global markets.

Judging from the above discussion, and subsequent findings from several reports also offer logical implications if Azerbaijan and Belarus are accepted into BRICS. It provides solid conditions for building up common capabilities and approaches in the fight for economic power. This may likely entice Armenia and Kazakhstan also to take similar steps to become members of BRICS, whose economic benefits are enormous.

For the same reasons, BRICS could be a counterweight against US economic hegemony in the global economic system. BRICS, which traces its name to a Goldman Sachs report in 2001, has long struggled to find an economic or geopolitical purpose, as its member countries have little in common besides being large and non-Western.

Gender Balance: The Universal Case of Gender Equity

By

Fatima Bashir

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August 26, 2024

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Envision a society in which the majority of people are deprived of the chance to realize their complete potential. Welcome to the world of gender inequality, where prejudices and outmoded norms keep us behind.

Before going further into details, let’s uncover the difference between gender equality and gender equity. Gender equality refers to equal opportunities and treatment for men and women, regardless of their gender. Gender equity focuses on addressing systemic inequalities. It involves providing what is fair. Gender equality would give the same size shoe to everyone regardless of their foot size, but gender equity would provide shoes that fit each person’s foot by recognizing their differences.

Men and women are physiologically, biologically, socially, and emotionally different. They have different roles and different needs. They should be dealt with in the same way. Gender equity provides that if a woman is a PHD scholar and a man is only a high school graduate, there shouldn’t be any biases based on gender while giving the job.

Gender equality would give the same size shoe to everyone regardless of their foot size, but gender equity would provide shoes that fit each person’s foot by recognizing their differences.

Women with higher qualifications should get the job, and vice versa. There shouldn’t be any prejudice against any gender. They should be paid according to their working hours. There are some jobs at which men are great, and there are some things at which women are great. They should be assigned work according to their capabilities.

Gender mainstreaming was a concept introduced at the 1985 Nairobi World Conference on Women. It was an approach to policymaking that took into account the concerns of both men and women. It involved identifying the different needs of men and women because they are different and making policies accordingly. It was a crucial step to accelerate gender equity in the world.

In ancient times, women who were considered to be outspoken or possessed knowledge of herbalism were targeted and accused of witchcraft. This is a stark example of how prejudiced our world is. Women were considered to be inferior. They were not given the right to vote until the dawn of the 20th century. Women were considered to be emotionally weak; that’s why it was said that they couldn’t hold important positions in the system. Women’s intelligence and capabilities were neglected based on gender.

Men also face ill-treatment. They are expected to be strong in every situation. They are expected to hide their emotions; otherwise, they will not look masculine. They are taught since their childhood, boys don’t cry. According to the data from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the CDC, men are more likely to experience a heart attack than women, especially at a younger age. On average, men experience their first heart attack at age 65, while women experience their first heart attack at age 72.

There shouldn’t be any prejudice against any gender. They should be paid according to their working hours.

In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds, resulting in approximately 805,000 heart attacks per year. Men also become the target of sexual assault and gender-based violence, but their voices are often not heard because they are men. The philosophical movement known as stoicism has its roots in classical Greece and Rome. It placed a strong focus on reason, restraint, and detachment from outside events. These objects have certain drawbacks even if they are thought to be highly advantageous for daily living. Stoicism and mistreating men are frequently associated.

Many males have learned to bottle up their feelings due to the emphasis on emotional control and suppression. Causing tension and anxiety to rise. Because stoicism emphasizes independence, some men put independence over their own needs. Lastly, males find it challenging to express their emotions in healthy ways due to the stigma around doing so, which negatively impacts both their relationships and mental health.

WHAT GIVES BIRTH TO THESE PREJUDICES?

Every society has its norms. And according to the theory of moral relativism, there is no right or wrong. One thing could be morally right in America and wrong in Pakistan. Every society disseminates its values, beliefs, and traditions as morally right. These traditions are passed from one generation to another without question. Whoever questions them is seen as a deviant. However, the prejudices I have mentioned above are common almost everywhere.

Girls are brought up differently. They are encouraged to play with dolls and be delicate, or they are told that one day they’re going to marry someone and they should learn how to cook, clean, etc. On the other hand, boys are taught to be strong, independent, brave, nonchalant, and less delicate. They are taught from a very young age that they will be the providers of their families.

WHAT IF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED TO ALL?

By increasing productivity and diversifying the economy, a more inclusive and diverse workforce can contribute to a 50% rise in economic growth. Implementing flexible work arrangements under Norway’s Flexible Work Arrangement Policy (2018) resulted in improved work-life balance for both genders and a 1.2% increase in GDP (The Influence of Flexible Work Arrangements on work-life balance by the Journal of Applied Psychology 2019).

Another illustration is the 2019 federal paid family leave program introduced in the United States, which benefits both men and women and increases GDP by 0.7%. The impact of paid family leave on employment (National Bureau of Economic Research results).

GENDER EQUITY IN PAKISTAN: A DISTANT DREAM?

Pakistan, a country with a population of almost 251.27 million, is a developing country with the 5^th largest population to accommodate. It has very few to almost zero opportunities. In a country where there are no opportunities for anyone (male, female, or transgender), the question of why Pakistan is not doing something about gender equity is ridiculous. But still, let’s talk about the 47.6% of employed people (as of 2023).

In Pakistan, gender inequity is very prominent, especially for women, because of the patriarchal mindset. The LFPR of women in Pakistan stands at 21%, well below the global percentage of 39% (National Report on the status of Women in Pakistan 2023). These statistics show that women are more subjected to gender inequity in Pakistan.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROMOTE GENDER BALANCE GLOBALLY?

Education and awareness about gender-based discrimination and inequity are very important. There is a dire need to educate parents to let their children do what they are capable of, regardless of their gender. Let them decide their careers. The government should make policies for men and women where both of them can work together and contribute according to their skills.

Gender-inclusive language should be used to break stereotypes. Representation in all fields should be given according to the male-to-female population ratio. Only through these measures can we create a world of gender parity.

Post-Hasina Bangladesh: Is Pakistan Up To The Task?

By

Ambassador Abdul Basit

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August 25, 2024

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It took more than 560 innocent lives for the “Student Revolution” in Bangladesh to succeed. After weeks of bloody protests, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was left with no option but to flee the country and take refuge in India on August 5, 2024. Her authoritarian rule spanning over 15 years, bedizened in the garb of democracy, came to a sudden end.

India, which had the best partner in Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka, was literally shocked and found itself in a cleft stick. Whereas on the one hand, it was difficult to deny the former Prime Minister shelter in India as no other country was willing to accept her. On the other hand, New Delhi did not want the people of Bangladesh to be further alienated.

It nevertheless remains to be seen how developments finally pan out. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Khaleda Zia (also a former Prime Minister) is already urging India to extradite Sheikh Hasina. Besides, some Bangladeshi experts are talking about taking the bilateral water disputes to relevant international forums for arbitration should India continue to be unfair and inflexible.

No sooner had the Sheikh Hasina government collapsed, the heavily biased Indian media started hatching frivolous conspiracy theories impugning Pakistan for orchestrating Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. What could be termed as a non sequitur, China and the United States were also accused of machinations against Sheikh Hasina in their respective strategic interests. This head-spinning spin only served to further infuriate Bangladeshis, for they saw in this a blatant attempt to belittle their enormous sacrifices against a “fascist regime”.

Some Bangladeshi experts are talking about taking the bilateral water disputes to relevant international forums for arbitration should India continue to be unfair and inflexible.

In Pakistan, however, the historic development was received with much exultation and the sense of poetic justice. That was understandable. It was Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who conspired with India to create Bangladesh by splitting Pakistan in 1971. As the irony would have it, the “Father of the Nation” was killed on 15 August 1975. And in August 2024, the whole world witnessed how his statues across Bangladesh were vandalized. The interim government that sworn in with Dr Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, as its head, on 8 August, lost no time in declaring to discontinue commemorating the annual National Mourning Day on 15 August.

Sheikh Hasina could have moved on but she preferred to remain stuck in a time warp when it came to Pakistan. Unlike other Bangladeshi politicians, she was mostly impervious to Pakistan’s genuine desire to start afresh in the spirit of the 9th April 1974 agreement signed between Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in New Delhi. The three countries had agreed to forgive and forget the mistakes of the past in order to promote reconciliation.

While from Pakistan’s viewpoint there was nothing left to be settled between the two countries, Sheikh Hasina kept on insisting that Pakistan must formally apologize for “all the crimes Pakistan committed against the people of Bangladesh”. Members of her party (Awami League) would also publicly demand to put on trial some 195 army officers who had allegedly perpetrated atrocities in the erstwhile East Pakistan. In short, Sheikh Hasina would not budge. No wonder, she never paid a bilateral visit to Pakistan during her long years in office.

On its part, Pakistan never gave up trying how to accommodate Bangladesh. In July 2002, President Pervez Musharraf paid a three-day official visit to Bangladesh. During the visit he publicly regretted the 71 war excesses. After laying wreath at the National Martyrs Memorial outside Dhaka, he wrote in the official visitors’ book as follows: “Your brother and sisters in Pakistan share the pains of the events of 1971. The excesses committed during the unfortunate period are regrettable. Let us bury the past in the spirit of magnanimity. Let not the light of the future be dimmed. Let us move forward together. Courage to compromise is greater than to confront.”

On its part, Pakistan never gave up trying how to accommodate Bangladesh.

This proffered the best way forward and the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, had apparently decided to let bygones be bygones. That helped. Years of bonhomie followed. However, when Sheikh Hasina came to power again in 2009, she could not help but revive the apology issue. Resultantly, the bilateral relationship yet again came under pressure. She visibly and unhelpfully became Modi’s junior partner. Even SAARC was not spared. Its 19th summit that was to be hosted by Pakistan in November 2014 had to be postponed as India refused to attend, making the 18 September 2014 Uri attack as an alibi. Bangladesh along with Afghanistan also regretted to attend.

When Sheikh Hasina came to power again in 2009, she could not help but revive the apology issue.

I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with Sheikh Hasina at the residence of the Bangladeshi High Commissioner in New Delhi during her official visit to India in April 2017. Besides conveying greetings to her from the Pakistani leadership, I told her that the people of Pakistan were also keenly looking forward to hosting her. She did not respond except to express the hope that I was enjoying my stay in India. In fact, she never wanted to pay a bilateral visit to Pakistan. She clearly made the bilateral relations hostage to the apology issue. Perhaps, the word “regret” and that, too, during Khaleda Zia’s premiership, was difficult for her to digest.

Be that as it may, Sheikh Hasina is no longer at the helm. Though in politics nothing is impossible, it may be a safe wager to say that it seems highly unlikely that she would ever return to power again. There is now an opportunity for Pakistan to reach out to Bangladesh, putting bilateral ties on a positive irreversible trajectory.

The most important thing Pakistan needs to understand is that Bangladesh-India relations are mutually critical. Islamabad must not get concerned if their relations come back on track. Diplomacy mostly works incrementally; the slow process needs patience and perseverance. To expect quick results would be a wishful thinking. Islamabad must not get carried away either by taking premature steps. It should also avoid seeing as pandering to Bangladesh and joining hands against India. There is still no clarity how long the present interim government will be in power. For one, I do not see elections taking place in Bangladesh this year.

The most important thing Pakistan needs to understand is that Bangladesh-India relations are mutually critical.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s felicitations to Chief Advisor Yunus were in order. His subsequent letter to the latter assuring him of every possible assistance to the people of Bangladesh to cope with the destruction caused by heavy floods was also the right thing to do. As Prime Minister Sharif underlined, Pakistan would always be standing with the people of Bangladesh. It is encouraging that the Bangladesh cricket team did not cancel its trip and is presently in Pakistan for a two-test matches series. The warm welcome the Bangladeshi team received from all and sundry in Pakistan will go a long way towards promoting mutual goodwill.

Some analysts in Pakistan are suggesting that Islamabad must send a special emissary to Bangladesh. To them, the time is of the essence. Pakistan must not let this opportunity go. I have been propounding for the appointment of a special envoy for Bangladesh for years now. But in my view, this not the appropriate time to do so. Islamabad must keep a low profile and let the Pakistan High Commissioner in Dhaka handle the matters at this stage.

Rather than focusing on politics, it may be worthwhile for Islamabad to consider sending an economic and trade delegation to Dhaka. That will not only be good optics but also convey our sincere intentions to work in our mutual benefit. Pakistan can also consider engaging in bilateral sports activities beyond cricket.

Yunus will likely travel to New York this September for the UNGA session. Islamabad must seek a bilateral meeting. The meeting, should it come through, would require extremely careful preparations both in terms of optics and substance. Needless to say that excessive and empty rhetoric is a burden diplomacy barely brooks for long.

Hopefully, Islamabad is up to the task in the case of Bangladesh unlike Afghanistan post-August 15, 2021.

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