The Hanging of Mir Quasem Ali

Pakistan has officially chided Bangladesh for hanging aged Mir Quasem Ali, convicted in a war crimes tribunal relating to 1971 war. This criticism seems shallow as Pakistan's own criminal justice system is disorganized and pathetic. The simple reason for such acrimony by foreign office is due to the past events which chains both nations together with pungency and abhorrence.
Foreign office doesn't have time to object to its citizen being beheaded regularly in Saudi Arabia by their courts in questionable circumstances. Bangladesh is already criticized by Amnesty international, Human rights watch and other organizations. The accused are not provided with lawyers and arbitrary limiting of witnesses to call upon. Although such is the state of affairs but Islamabad human rights record in such cases is even more dubious. In Bangladesh the accused are tried by civil courts in open while in Pakistan the accused are tried by military courts behind closed doors with no access to military records.
Mir Quasem matters because he was the head of Al Badr, worked closely with Pak Army to suppress the rebellion in east Pakistan.
Pakistan stands on two nation theory, as taught to us in school textbooks. One factor is that Hindus and Muslims are separate nations that cant coexist together. secondly, Muslims are an Ummah united by faith. There was no distinction of sects, caste, creed and color,
First factor is already irrelevant because Pakistan and India are two separate nations. Second factor begs some attention. The Hindus in Pakistan accounts for less than 2 percent of the total population and are continuously minimizing due to oppression, lack of opportunities and fear. They can not lead their normal life anymore.
Lack of love and concern for the neighbors i.e Iran and Afghanistan and continuous Saudi-Israeli nexus shows that Islamic solidarity and Ummah is also a fragile concept.
Even after paralyzing two nation theory in Pakistan in 1971, Ironically, Pakistan is still surviving and kicking. There is a subconscious push for being rational more and more and we are coming to terms with it. The recent CPEC phenomena is an interesting paradox. While pan Islamism lip service is there, we turn blind eye to communist china's aversion towards organized religions and Islam in particular.
Pakistan needs to push behind the two nation theory simply because a theory can not be the reason for the survival of a nation when we have come such a long way. Okay fine Pakistan is made, we have seen so much in the past and now that we have to move forward we are unable to carry the baggage of the theory and be realistic. After-all Argentina and Netherlands have no ideologies but both countries are flourishing.
We must understand that India only played the anchor role but not the critical role which is our incompatibility with the east Pakistan. This union had to come to an end. And Zulfiqar ali bhutto's famous speech of 'idhar hum udhar tum' dealt a final blow to it.
A piece of advice for Bangladesh, just shun the unfortunate events of the past and move on. The history and circumstances in which it was created was very painful but hanging aged humans connected to that past may not bring democracy, stability or peace.
Pakistan must stop teaching kids in the textbooks about the wrong perspective  of 1971, and kick-start a truth and reconciliation process with Bangladesh on this matter. Time to move on and turn the page for the better.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1283160/the-hanging-of-mir-quasem-ali

Restructuring the state

After independence from British raj, Pakistan has been under achieving its potential as a state. The system needs complete overhaul to achieve the desired goals.  The system currently in place has not been effective and responsive to its citizens. This is the reality at hand. Following suggestions may help overcome some flaws in our system:
 To start with we should have small provinces. Punjab factor is putting strain on the country's weak polity. Some may cite this as a primary reason why east Pakistan separated from west. The postponing of national assembly session was just last nail in the coffin. Alienation and despondency is at rise due to Punjab factor at play. Other smaller provinces needs camaraderie from the big brother. Sense of deprivation needs to be cut short at the soonest.
Punjab, NWFP(Now Khyber Pukhtunkhwa), Sindh, Balochistan, Fata and Northern areas were made part of Pakistan on 14th august 1947 but except NWFP all other units were made part under a special British arrangements. These provinces came as a package therefore it is the need of the hour to reorient itself on new terms with changing circumstances, which they have every right to do so.
Balochistan be made into two administrative units. One is Balochistan states union and other is chief commissioner's province with Kalat and Quetta as its headquarters as it was in 1955. Bahawalpur state be made separate province like it was until 1955 arrangements. FATA be made a separate province. Let Sindh exist as a province with the exception of giving Karachi an elected lt-governor and empowered local government.
The democratic system also needs much needed overhaul. Feudal and corrupt politicians who inject money in politics to achieve their own illegal means. Therefore the proportional system of representation needs to be introduced to accommodate common man who can raise voice for themselves. This will instill feeling of participation and hence help in making strong federation.
The fact that many military regimes in our country had been successful in the beginning but decline with passage of time. Reason is their survival issue indulges them in compromises with the corrupt. Therefore a direct elected leader with every province electing leader on one man one vote basis. This will enable parliamentary system to keep check and balance on leader.
Criminal justice system is pathetic in its current situation. There should be three tier policing system. Federal, provincial and city. The criminal system must be redesigned in a way to provide least expensive, quick and visible justice to aggrieved party against the aggressor. Failing to provide justice will ultimately lower the faith of common masses regarding the state.
Our judicial courts needs to take regular suo moto to expose flaws in criminal justice system and encourage parliamentarians to make reforms.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1282095/restructuring-the-state

The Pakistani state in its 70th year

A state is a proposition of governance bodies providing services to its citizens. A nation is a composition of history, culture, attitudes and beliefs. A functioning state may not mean it is making a nation because it can work for people of a specified region as well. But an effective functioning state is inclusive of all its subjects and therefore helpful ingredient in making a nation. This dilemma is still haunting the 70 year old Pakistan from its inception.
United states is a good example of a working state with tons of diversity but performing well as a nation.  The reasons why different ethnicity, religions and color of skins does not hinder nation making of USA is due to the state providing most of the citizens needs.
Question on hand is why Pakistan has not overcome the factors of ethnic and religious boundaries to make a nation?
Pakistan inherited its system from British raj's era which subjugated its citizens. It was highly undesirable. Some members of indian civil service opted to join Pakistan, the new born state. With this they took the system as well. Same ICS enabled British to consolidate power in India for more than century. Chaudhry Muhammad ali (one of Pakistan's earliest PMs) and Ghulam Muhammad (third gov general of pakistan) came from accounts. Iskander mirza came from Indian political service.  The hold of bureaucracy was strong due to the weakness of political system in Pakistan while neighboring India had strong political system due to which politicians were in full control. Bureaucracy weathered many storms in inception years of Pakistan.
In 1958 General Ayub injected military in administration and this civil-military combination took forward the country through next decade until Zulfiqar ali bhutto, a young promising politician amid some flaws burst on the scene. He failed and ultimately Zia took the reins of power and from there on until 30 years the country revolved around civil and military rules. In 2007, Pakistan version of Arab spring kick-started 4 years prior to real Arab spring of 2011. That enabled democracy to return. Now country is trying to make inclusive political order representative of all regions. This is the need of the hour which will bring us closer to the goal of becoming a nation and fulfilling its needs and requirements.

Source : http://tribune.com.pk/story/1175959/pakistani-state-70th-year/

Re-orienting Pak-US ties

                                 

US cutting of military aid is a blessing in disguise for Pakistan. It is beneficial for both the countries. Pakistan needs to reassess its strategic relations with USA and reorient its ties.
Pakistan's 70 year old flawed policies have failed miserably to deliver. This century is moving the focus from industrial economies to Knowledge economies and vision 2025 is the step in the right direction. But the success of this vision depends on the pillars we build for it in current years. Pakistan badly requires quality scientific and technological workforce.
Asian countries such as china and Korea are continuously expanding its horizons in research and development. The workforce returning to their countries after getting expertise in US institutions are the ones leading innovation and capacity building in those countries. China produces hi tech components as much as USA due to its trained workforce from USA institutes. Koreans are leading patent filers in OECD countries. Annual Chinese flow of students to USA is about 100,000 of total 459,800. India sends 132,000 students yearly out of which 80 percent are enrolled in STEMs programmmes. Indian origin research scientists and faculty members accounts for one million in USA, a growth of 85 percent from 2003 to 2013. They account to 3.3 percent of US research force as compare to 2.5 percent a decade ago. Out of immigrant start up companies at silicon valley, Indian start ups have increased from 26 to 33 percent since 2005, 15 percent of all startups.
Why USA a preferred destination?
Because world's 2/3rd of top 40 institutes lies in USA. Out of world's 870 Nobel award winners 356 had been from USA. 70 percent of all Nobel prize winners works in USA.
Forty percent of all research and technology development spending is based in USA and companies built by Stanford and MIT alumni generated 8.4 million jobs since 1930 and revenues in reach of 4.9 trillion $.
According to RAND the foreign students have enabled USA to develop its engineering and science work to develop faster. Those students returning back to their countries mentor their local countrymen about the current trends in the industry and set up research labs and also guide students to study in programmes at USA.
in 1989-90 students from Pakistan enrolled in US universities were 8158, which dropped to dangerously low level of 5354. If we compare with Indians 132888, the ratio becomes 1:25, (one Pakistani to 25 Indians.). Although population ratio between two countries is 1:7.
Nepal sends 8158, slightly less than 50 percent of total Pakistani students enrolled in US although Nepal's population is 28 million which is seven times less than Pakistan.
The Fulbright program is the world's largest exchange program. If we look at Pakistan's trend we observe that the focus is mostly on non STEM programmes by our students, Mostly do not go for PHD programmes and also to not so highly ranked universities. HEC overseas scholarships are also targeted on universities having no such huge reputation on world level.
The recent announcement of 10000 scholarships to students for USA is a step in the right direction although the drawbacks of past policies should be avoided and example of Asian economies needs to be followed to develop a base for knowledge based economy.
In short the fellowships will help establish the pillars for vision 2025 if focused on STEM programmes which will be mutually beneficial to Pakistan and USA.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1282266/reorienting-pak-us-ties

The new great game

Chabahar port tripartite agreement has been inked by Afghanistan, Iran and china to develop strategically vital port. India is eyeing to target central Asia by passing Pakistan. Afghanistan being a landlocked country will benefit from this project manifolds as it grants them access to Indian ocean and onward to transport the goods again by passing Pakistan due to fragile relations the two neighbor countries enjoys. Iran get all the goodies from this project. Indians also think this project will ultimately enable them to influence Afghanistan and ultimately the central Asia.

The real question is will chabahar port rival Gwadar port?

The answer lies in many interesting ground realities which ultimately signals in negative.  Chabahar may provide three countries the corridor but India only get to transport good through this region to central Asia with only 50 million population. China is already leading the market there along with Russia because its goods are cheaper and less expensively transported to these regions. So Indian goods will have to be transported twice its price to those areas through Chabahar into Afghanistan and ultimately central Asia. Chinese competition may prove way too much.

 Gwadar is part of first step in China's vision of one road-one belt. The access to Gwadar will make Chinese powers of two oceans. USA will play a major player in this region and continue to do so for foreseeable future. Chinese prudently offered USA a stake in this project so as to minimize their animosity because they want to lessen the Chinese dominance. Although USA is favoring such move on papers but alternatively working with India and japan to counter Sino-Russian dominance in the region. 

Pakistan must work out plans to curb violence and insecurity inside the country and foreign threats to CPEC and ensure Chinese workers safety. For this purpose Pakistan has made a full battalion consisting of 8 brigades. For this  purpose 250 million dollars have already been sanctioned. 

CPEC is the answer to all the insecurities we have in the region and the stability of our country. Chinese are also interested to develope pakistan's social and economic structure to increase capacity building for this utmost important trade route. 

This is the new great game in the region and we must be vigilant enough to foresee problems and chalk out solutions for them.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1264242/the-new-great-game

Who will defend the defenders?

United nations defines human rights defenders as all those professionals, non professionals, full time or part time individuals from any field whoa re advocating and promoting the cause of human rights protection.
Human rights defenders have been under pressure in Pakistan. They cant perform their duties with freedom. HRD's have minimum recognition as to the mammoth role they are playing in informing about human rights violations in different areas.
Pakistan's INGO policy and cyber crimes has adverse effects on HRD's performance in recent past. They have been under continuous scrutiny and the registration process has been made pretty tough for incoming organization to perform its job. In this atmosphere even genuine and working NGO's work is hampered.
Sec 34 of prevention of electronic crimes bill gives power to government to block access to information for various reasons including the glory of islam, integrity, security or defense of Pakistan.
Pakistan has also been active in blocking UN resolution to grant special status to HRD's and argues along with other allied countries that HRD's are not a special group and not under attack.
But if we look at murders and disappearances of human rights activists this claim is totally negated. In 2014 lawyer Rashid rehman was killed for contesting blasphemy case. Sabeen mehmud was killed reportedly by state agencies for creating awareness against religious extremism and some sources even say her role in awareness against missing persons caused her death.
In most circumstances, the state keeps mum or straightly denies allegations. This attitude needs to change if we are to prosper in 21st century.
First step in the right direction would be to make a law effective with suport of civil society to implement UN declaration on human rights defenders.
Secondly HRD's role must be considered praiseworthy and applauded. They should be involved in the policy making where they can prove handy. For example National human rights commission can contact HRD networks to make recommendations regarding future legislation to safeguard human rights situation in the country.
Indian NCHR has launched a website in 2010 and appointed a focal person. Website periodically updates about figures related to violations and actions taken against such crimes.
Time has come to shut the lip service and do some practical work to safeguard those who defends Human rights.


Source:  http://www.dawn.com/news/1261705/who-will-defend-the-defenders

Strategic liabilities

Indian PM Modi arrived in Tehran with a tweet in Persian to signal how he feels great being on the land of Cyrus the great. 

He walked away with inking 12 agreements including agreement to develop strategically important Chabahar port which will rival Gwadar port in future. 

This agreement will enable India to reach out north south corridor bypassing Pakistan and also reach out to Afghanistan. Afghanistan will also greatly benefit from this development. 

Its ironic when we consider afghan government's plea to use Pakistan's trade routes to transfer products to Afghanistan but Pakistan army bosses rejected any such adventure because it could have benefited India. 

Although it may have been beneficial for India, but more so in terms of Pakistan's ability to maneuver strategic trade ties to influence good relations on all outstanding issues because after-all its always a tussle of economic interests which might not have been overlooked by India or Afghanistan plus it could have generated the feeling of mutual trust among Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

India is investing in dams, roads and bridges while Pakistan is roping the old allies Taliban to the table which has been unreasonable on most occasion. This policy is unsuccessful and a recipe for disaster as it has been in the past. We cant sell dial up internet in fiber optics market for long and ask whats wrong with out product. Our product is simply not good enough!

Although USA has its own burden of failures sharing with NATO but the argument of Pakistan providing safe havens to Taliban and using them as strategic assets have turned all the burden on Pakistan although it might not be totally true. The reason for making a scapegoat out of Pakistan is not entirely on outsiders as our own think tanks are enough to make one with their unreasonable policies in the region.

Afghan president Ashraf ghani was favoring Pakistan over other neighbors but it didn't took long we handed him over in the lap of Modi.

One more ridiculous and unfortunate state of affairs is the lack of coordination in civil military relations. Angoor adda was handed over to afghans by the army in the name of fostering brotherly relations with neighbor country. Although cant term it a bad step but much worse is that interior minister is totally unaware of the incident. The afghans consequently closed the crossing and demanded 10 km inside Pakistan territory which led to a standoff recently. 

Source:  http://www.dawn.com/news/1261473/strategic-liabilities