Saturday, 17 August 2019

Some thoughts on Kashmir Crisis

Such a hard reality to digest that world is not a fair place to live. International laws means "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING" when the barometer is money and power. India is a billion-people plus consumer economy. Pakistan is surely are short of resources and perhaps had its share of mistakes on crucial occasions. However, here i am compelled to think about few unanswered question, such as: 

  1. Did Jinnah got it right on 2 nation theory. We been told by some that it was a lie. Now things make sense. What an irony. 
  2.  Bacha Khan was pro-Congress which means united India. What if NWFP voted for India in referendum. What an interesting situation that would have been. (Afghanistan (Law aw Bar mantra and refusal to accept durand line) already claims KP and Norther Baluchistan hence could he have gone against his mentors? Gandhi and Nehru. In that case KP would have been Kashmir 2.0 today because Modi's India dont care a damn. we are just Muslims and Godse who killed Gandhi is his idol and a saint)
  3. Pakistan's problems are multifaceted. UNSC was a step in the right direction but people linking Kashmir to Afghan peace (Hamid Mir and co) is extremely dangerous. Cant we focus on that angle? Western provinces must not be the fodder of wars anymore. We also aspire peace and for that peace in Afghanistan is paramount.

Supplementary read:
1- https://www.washingtonpost.com/…/ab84ffe2-bf79-11e9-a5c6-1e…
2- https://www.thenews.com.pk/…/513017-tyranny-of-the-majority…

Sunday, 28 July 2019

Pakistan Embassy in Kabul Stops Visa to Afghanistan



Pakistan embassy in Kabul has stopped visa to Afghan citizens. However, old citizen, students, ill patients and female are exempted.The reason is cited as extortion mafia ring who rob money from common Afghans outside Pakistan embassy. Pakistan government has urged the Afghan government to take concrete actions against the corrupt elements. Here are some facts:

Pakistan embassy is the most sought after and busy embassy. Most of the Afghans want to come to Pakistan for treatment, study or business.

The extortion rings charges 100 to 150 dollars per person although Pakistani visa is very cheap in real.

Pakistani embassy in Kabul is under staffed and the traffic is overwhelming. Pakistan's government can do something about that.

Most of the abusive comments come from Afghani citizens who either lives abroad or do not need any medical or educational assistance, neither they have any business in Pakistan. Such people are " kanzal maar " and one of the reasons, which spoil the relations between both countries.

Pakistan must introduce online visa system to facilitate Afghans. Furthermore, station or city based visa system can be introduced. If one has business or some work in Peshawar, only Peshawar's visa should be granted without any hassle. This can facilitate and also make it easier for the government to monitor movement.

Students, elderly people (aged over 60), businessmen and female should be allowed free movement subject to necessary arrangements and feasibility.

( Ref: Hassan Khan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlKZskgVi54 )

Friday, 26 July 2019

Observations on Syrian Quagmire


1- Cant brush off assad's tyranny under the carpet just because he defeated isis with the help of Iranian militias and Russian air power. 

2- No sir, history will remember what transpired beforehand as Arab spring was on its peak.

3- Bashar ul assad brutally clamped down on peaceful protesters who were demanding him and his inefficient government to step down. 

4- Assad should have listened to the opposition's voices by working out a win-win formula but he never did. He was simply not interested to relinquish power.

5- Assad quelled the protests with violence which made the people forced to take up arms.


6- ISIS took advantage of the vacuum created by lack of the writ.


7- The US and western powers along with KSA and Qatar exacerbated the conflict by encouraging the opposition with fianances and ammunition but never really boosted their position with military involvement on crucial junctures.


8- Russia came to rescue its secure 
strategically vital naval base at Latakia which guaranteed control of important waterways. Hence it enhanced the Geo strategic calculus in favor of Kremlin.

9- The only ones to bear the brunt were poor Syrian people - women, children, aged and young alike. They were caught between devil and the deep sea.


10- These horrific images surfacing from Syrian war theater reaffirms the notion that war is a monster and it destroys the societies from inside out and scars its incoming generations for decades.Bashar Al Assad's
 father, Hafez Al Assad also usurped power in a coup. Nobody is entitled to remain in power perpetually. But in monarchies and dictatorships across Middle East, it is a norm which is absurd. If people are dying and their lives, dignity and property is not safe from every corner, then there is a serious problem.

Few observations on US - Iran crisis


1- The US president scraps nuclear deal with Iran w/o the consensus of other parties to the agreement.

2- The US impose tough economic sanctions back on Iran and bully small countries to act accordingly. (Might is right principle applied)

3- Iran never scraps the deal and waits for European partners of nuke deal to play their role. As expected, they either dont have the muscles or the will to enable the U.S. to change its mind or chalk out an independent approach contrary to Washington.

4- Gulf countries led by KSA leads hostilities on all fronts with Iran. 

5- Britain seizes Iran's tankers off the cost of Gibraltar. Iran being a sovereign state urges to release the tanker unconditionally only to respond with similar action in strait of hormuz. Fair game isnt it?

6- Media portray Iran as a great satan while white washing the west's own bigotry on the self created crisis. 

7- points to ponder? Does only the western countries sovereignty, lives and security matters? What about other countries which have been utterly destroyed to ashes due to undue interference. Who is responsible for making my future endanger. Double game and duplicity isnt it?

8- Here Pakistan must not stay aloof in the event of any aggression. As it is cash strapped, the best option is to pursue diplomacy. However, that option also seem far fetched owing to no worthwhile leverage with both contending powers. Still one must not sit like a lame duck. Also it should not provide any land access to attack Iran in order to creat a two prong situation. We have no enmity whatsoever.

9- Here, I also want to remind the Iranian naive tactics of influencing Pakistan from western borders when Pakistan was engaged with india to their east. Yes jundullah and other issues have been there. Still timing of such statements really pissed the military and civilian leadership. We as Pakistan must not repeat such a behavior to pressurize the Islamic republic. 

10- Iranian moderate leadership is under immense pressure from conservative clergy (mullahs of Iran). Conservatives are taunting rouhani and its able foreign minister for striking a deal with mercurial and non trustworthy US. The death of the deal enhanced clergy's grip on power while moderates are pushed against the wall.

Saturday, 13 April 2019

From Akora Khattak to Iowa - A Global UGRAD Grantee Narrates His Journey to USA (2012)

I am Muhammad Furqan Khattak from Pakistan. I was selected for the U.S. State Department funded cultural exchange scholarship to study a semester at Upper Iowa University this 2012 spring semester. About 200 students from different parts of Pakistan were selected for the prestigious exchange program, "Global UGRAD Pakistan."

Since I started this journey, I had a lot of preconceived ideas about the United States. Curiosity and excitement were all over me. The journey was amazing. Most of the scholarship fellows congregated at the Islamabad Benazir Bhutto International Airport to fly to the U.S.A.

I had never traveled outside of the country before, so to travel to a country across the ocean from Pakistan was a completely different experience. I will never forget the moment when I landed on WDC's Dulles Airport. For me, coming from a small under privileged area to the world's most diverse and advanced nation, has been an overwhelming experience. It feels like a beautiful blissful dream. This was a day I could take pride in, because I was in another country representing my nation.

In addition to all of this, I was sentimental, as I lost my father recently and was thinking about him each time I took pride in my achievement. I think he was a great source of inspiration in my life and he always backed me up in every crucial moment of my life.

After arriving at the Cedar Rapids Airport, I was received by my advisor, Ben Onyango. He told me to sit in the car and I instinctively went to the left side of the car, not realizing that the cars have a left-hand drive in the U.S.. There I said to myself, "Welcome to AMERICA!" Well, many things were still to come which would make me just as amazed.

Here at Upper Iowa University (UIU) I made some friends in a very short time. My roommate is very caring and I am getting along pretty well with the locals. Everyone I have met here is quite friendly, I was very observant. I was comparing everything I experienced in this new culture to what we have back home. For instance, in the cafeteria I observed that you help yourself and after eating the meal everyone carries their trays to a trash bin.

In the SDC Museum, I saw American families who brought their children to show them movies in order to acquaint them with their past glory and history. In the media section, I saw photos of journalists who gave their lives for the pious cause of upholding the values and essence of journalism. I saw many Pakistani names in the list, too. At the 9/11 memorial section I wrote my condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. I believe in the philosophy of my religion, which states that "every innocent life lost means humanity is lost."

I have found that in America, “Thank you,” “Sorry,” “Please,” and other courteous words are very common. When you are leaving through a door prior to another person, you should hold the door for him/her so that they can also pass. It is considered a sign of respect for others.
Here at Upper Iowa, people are very proud of everything they have in the town or in the state and they value it. When I went to the restaurant, Fayette Pizza Prime Time, I saw the local school class graduates’ pictures, local basketball team shirts, and UIU Peacock signs all around.

In downtown Fayette, approximately every shop has a U.S. flag at the entrance. When I passed through the roadside streets I noticed everyone waving their hand at me which goes to show how friendly normal Americans are to outsiders.

People have asked me about the culture, customs, family, and social structure of Pakistan. I take pride in saying that after the discussions, many stereotypes about each other’s country were removed. We exchanged nice conversations. I told them how our marriage functions are held, about Sufi music and how we gained independence from the British Imperial Empire. Professors here are very helpful.
Here we call professors by their name, which indicates friendliness in the U.S.A. This is different than in Pakistan, as it is regarded as a disrespect to call a teacher by his actual name. I am enjoying the cultural differences.

Jim Beeghly, a retired civil judge in Fayette County, Iowa and his wife, Nina, invited me to his farmhouse. I had a great time with him and walked three miles with him on his beautiful farm. He works on an environmental sustainable and conservation program funded by the government. He likes things the way they are naturally created. It fascinates me that he never grows corn fields, which is the main source of income, but preserves a Prairie which will save some erosion. I met with his sweet wife Nina, who made tea for me. I shared my culture with them by covering topics like weddings in Pakistan, family systems, politics, judiciary information, and what not. They took me to Victories, which is the best restaurant in town to have dinner with them.

Almost every family has a car. Cedar Rapids and Waterloo are about an hour’s drive, so people often go there for shopping and to buy items from Best Buy, Walmart, Sears, etc. I like to eat American food, but strictly prohibit myself from haraam (prohibited in Islam) meat and alcohol as it is not permitted in our religion, Islam.

I go to the gym for exercise and to workout. Excellent facilities are available like tennis, badminton, baseball, basketball and all the other sports which are played in the U.S.A.

I have been adapting to my new environment swiftly. Now I am better at coping with the bitter cold, too. I take all my precautionary measures to stay safe.

I would like to thank the U.S. Department of State, the IREX (sponsoring body), and people of the United States for providing this life changing experience. My dream is that Pakistan and the U.S.A. have a long lasting friendship based on mutual respect and appreciation for each other's cultures.
                                                       
                                                                       Glimpses 
                                                                        
                                                                            of
                                                       
                                                          Global UGRAD Pakistan 2012





Advise to Exchange Students - Featured in EdUSA Newsletter Few Years Ago