China Impassive Spectator of Pakistan’s Existential Existence by Dr. Subhash Kapila
September 13, 2022
Introduction:
(Eurasia Review) Perceptionaly, China is in an impassive ‘spectator mode’ as Pakistan flounders on the edge of an abyss in its ongoing existential crisis mainly engineered by former PM Imran Khan politically displaced in a Constitutional coup.
When Pakistan is in a state of acute economic meltdown and reeling under widespread devastation of floods, does it behove former PM Imran Khan to provoke a political meltdown of Pakistan? Former PM Imran Khan emerges as the most unprincipled and insensitive Pakistani political leader in nation’s history.
On emerging as Pakistan’s Prime Minister with the label of ‘Selected PM’ courtesy the Pakistan Army, after vainly trying for a decade to capture political power, PM Imran Khan went on an unabashed kow-towing to Chinese rulers in Beijing.
Pakistan Army and Pakistani PMs in the past traditionally and promiscuously courted Chinese leadership while swearing loyalty to United States which in comparison had bestowed on Pakistan billions of dollars in financial and military aid over decades.
However, Imran Khan on assuming office of Prime Minister swerved wildly in vocal assertions of his strategic tilt towards China to the extent of declaring that he would never seek IMF loans from IMF and other US controlled financial institutions.
Water Begins Receding in Pakistan by Munir Ahmed
September 16, 2022
Introduction:
(AP via Courthouse News) — Floodwaters are receding in Pakistan's worst-hit southern Sindh province, officials said Friday, a potentially bright sign in an ongoing crisis that has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless in the impoverished South Asian country.
The Indus River, which remained swollen until earlier this month, was now rushing at “normal” levels towards the Arabian Sea, according to Mohammad Irfan, an irrigation official in hard-hit Sindh. The water level in the past 48 hours receded as much as three feet in some of the inundated areas nearby, including the Khairpur and Johi towns, where waist-high water damaged crops and homes earlier this month.
A day earlier, engineers had opened a key highway in the southwestern Baluchistan province, allowing rescue workers to speed aid to those suffering in a race against the spread of waterborne diseases and dengue fever.
Still, hundreds of thousands of people in Sindh are living in makeshift homes and tents. Authorities say it will take months to completely drain the water in Sindh.
Nationwide, floods have damaged 1.8 million homes, washed away roads and destroyed nearly 400 bridges, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. The deluge has killed 1,508 people since mid-June, inundated millions of acres of land and affected 33 million people. More than half a million people have been left homeless.
Imran Khan Shot: How Attack Will Affect Protest Campaign Led by Pakistan’s Ousted Leader by Ayesha Jalal
November 4, 2022
Introduction:
(The Conversation) Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan survived what supporters described as an assassination attempt on Nov. 3, 2022, as he led protests against the government.
Khan, a former national sports hero turned political leader, was shot in the leg, as he led a march to the country’s capital Islamabad.
The Conversation asked Ayesha Jalal, a history professor at Tufts University, to explain how the attempt on his life may affect Khan’s campaign – and what happens next in the country.
What was Khan doing when the assassination attempt was made?
Khan was in the process of leading a lengthy protest march when the attack happened.
Pakistan’s Imran Khan Vows to Fight to ‘Last Drop of Blood’ in First Rally Since Being Shot November 26, 2022
Introduction:
(The Guardian) Ousted PM calls off march on Islamabad to avoid further chaos but continues to press for early elections, possibly by pulling his PTI party out of regional assemblies.
Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan told tens of thousands of supporters on Saturday that he would fight until his “last drop of blood” in his first public address since being shot in an assassination attempt this month.
The shooting was the latest twist in months of political turmoil that began in April when Khan was ousted by a vote of no confidence in parliament.
Saturday’s rally was the climax of a so-called “long march” by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to press the government to call a snap election before parliament’s term expires in October next year.
Power outage plunges Pakistan into darkness
10 hours ago10 hours ago
The countrywide power outage in Pakistan was the second in two years. All major population hubs, including the mega cities of Karachi and Lahore, were affected.
More than 220 million people in Pakistan were plunged into darkness after a major breakdown in the national grid caused a massive power outage in the early hours of Monday.
The nationwide power outage which occurred at 7:34 am (0234 UTC/GMT) lasted for hours and impacted schools, hospitals and industrial units.
Pakistan blocks Wikipedia, says it hurt Muslim sentiments
Source: AP
By MUNIR AHMED
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s media regulator said Monday it blocked Wikipedia services in the country for hurting Muslim sentiment by not removing purportedly blasphemous content from the site. Critics denounced Islamabad’s action, saying it was a blow to digital rights.
Under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or its figures can be sentenced to death, although the country has yet to carry out capital punishment for blasphemy.
But even allegations of the offense are often enough to provoke mob violence and even deadly attacks. International and domestic rights groups say that accusations of blasphemy have often been used to intimidate religious minorities and settle personal scores.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority says it blocked Wikipedia because a 48-hour deadline to remove the content was ignored, according to a spokesperson. “Such things hurt the sentiments of Muslims,” said Malahat Obaid, from the regulator.
Pakistani police storm home of former PM Khan, arrest 61
Source: AP
By BABAR DOGAR today
LAHORE, Islamabad (AP) — Pakistani police stormed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday and arrested 61 people amid tear gas and clashes between Khan’s supporters and police, officials said.
Senior police officer Suhail Sukhera, who led the operation in an upscale Lahore neighborhood, said police acted to remove a barricade erected by members of Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party and his defiant supporters. He said they blocked the lanes around Khan’s residence with concrete blocks, felled trees, tents and a parked truck.
Khan was not in the home, having traveled to Islamabad to appear before a judge to face charges he sold state gifts while in office and hid his assets. The judge postponed that hearing until March 30.
Sukhera said baton-wielding Khan supporters attempted to resist police by throwing stones and Molotov cocktails and a man on the roof of Khan’s residence opened fire. At least three police officers were injured.
Pakistani Court Grants Former Prime Minister Imran Khan Bail, Reprieve from Arrests in Graft Cases by Munir Ahmed
May 12, 2023
Introduction:
ISLAMABAD (AP via Courthouse News) — A high court in Islamabad on Friday granted former Prime Minister Imran Khan protection from arrest in a graft case and ordered him freed on bail.
The ruling came as the government and legions of Khan's supporters were on edge after days of violent confrontations sparked by the arrest of the former prime minister earlier this week. The government has vowed it will find a way to take Khan back into custody, a move that would likely cause a resurgence of riots and mob attacks.
Friday's ruling by the Islamabad High Court gave Khan protection from arrest on one of several corruption cases against him for a period of two weeks, a form of interim bail that usually is renewed in the Pakistan judicial system.
Khan, however, remained in the court after the decision as his lawyers petitioned the judges for similar protection in a number of other corruption charges, trying to close off a legal avenue for the government to arrest him again.
Khan’s chief lawyer, Babar Awan, praised the ruling, and said Khan was now “a free man.”
Pakistan Needs to Ensure Food Security and Optimize Agricultural Production Through Innovative Technologies by Sarah Saeed
July 10, 2023
Introduction:
(Eurasia Review) Pakistan’s economy depends heavily on agriculture, which generates 18.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provides a living for 64% of its rural population, and engages 38.5% of the workforce overall. The industry contributes significantly to the country’s socioeconomic growth and has direct and indirect connections to other economic sectors.
Low average yields, high production costs, and low-quality food are all creating room in our local marketplaces for imported goods. These problems have damaged local production while also rendering a competitive space for Pakistan in global markets. Evidence from everyday life suggests that some of the richest and most productive regions have been abandoned for farming, yet food consumption is still growing as a result of population growth and rising per capita income. Future plans for ensuring food security and reducing poverty are seriously threatened by the growing disparity between supply and demand.
On July 10, 2023, PM Shahbaz Sharif along with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) has formally inaugurated the ceremony to launch the modern agriculture technologies to bring the ‘green revolution’ in agriculture sector. PM Sharif in his inaugural remarks has highlighted the significance of modern technologies to fill the technological gaps in agriculture sector.
The agriculture industry is performing poorly due to a lack of ability to create and accept advancements at every level of value chains. Stakeholders participating in various value chain nodes are either unable to embrace current manufacturing, grading, and processing procedures or are unaware of their advantages. According to the Asian Development Bank, post-harvest losses account for 35 to 40% of the vegetables and fruit cultivated in Pakistan each year and total just over $1 billion. As a result, the fruit and vegetable products in the state are priced far lower than those of other rapidly developing countries. Investment in the agricultural sector needs to shift away from subsidies and towards demand-driven, problem-solving research, the establishment of incubators to turn basic farming into commercialization, and the creation of rural infrastructure to connect rural economies with cities.
This is an awesome idea. I am glad that some many developing countries are starting to turn towards tech and science instead of blind faith in some murderous god. Sadly, we here in America really can't say the same about a large percentage of our population and that sends fear into my heart about the future of my country.
Pakistan elections 2024: Polls close in vote marred by internet cut
1 hour ago
Polls have closed in Pakistan after the authorities suspended mobile calls and data while millions voted for a new government in a controversial election.
The interior ministry said incidents of terrorism made the measure necessary.
The election comes almost two years after the previous prime minister, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, was ousted in a no-confidence vote.
Three-time PM Nawaz Sharif was on the ballot in what many analysts say is Pakistan's least credible election yet.
Khan, jailed on corruption charges last year, is barred from standing and his party called the internet cut a "cowardly act".
Pakistan’s ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif changed tack and said he would seek to form a coalition government after his party trailed the independent candidates of rival Imran Khan in preliminary results following the country’s parliamentary election.
Mr Sharif had rejected the idea of a coalition a day earlier, saying he wanted a single party running Pakistan.
He claimed victory on Friday, but soon afterwards said: “We don’t have enough of a majority to form a government without the support of others and we invite allies to join the coalition so we can make joint efforts to pull Pakistan out of its problems.”
The lead of independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan came as a surprise given claims by his supporters and a national rights body that balloting was manipulated to favour Mr Sharif.
Islamabad police have enforced a curfew in the capital banning public gatherings.
Pakistan Struggles to Bring Trade To China-Built Port by Sarah Zaman
January 12, 2025
Introduction:
(VOA via Eurasia Review) Pakistan is struggling to attract commercial activity to a Chinese-funded deep-sea port in the southwest that experts say is hampered by local insecurity, a lack of basic services and the absence of plans to make the port prosper.
A press release issued Wednesday after a meeting chaired by Pakistani Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal indicated that authorities do not have a plan to attract trade to the port, nearly a decade after the first container ships traveled through it in 2016.
“The minister noted the lack of commercial analysis and a comprehensive operational plan for Gwadar Port, calling for immediate efforts to unlock its potential,” the statement said.
Iqbal has ordered a plan to be drawn up within six months to generate trade traffic, according to the statement.
Constructed in 2007 at a cost of nearly $250 million and operated by the China Overseas Ports Holding Company since 2013, Gwadar port is situated in the warm waters of the Arabian Sea in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan sentenced to 14 years in prison in corruption case
Source: The Guardian
Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption, another setback for the beleaguered leader who has already spent over 18 months in jail and is facing more than a hundred cases.
Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were found guilty of illegally obtaining lucrative plots of land, worth billions of rupees, through a corrupt deal with a Pakistani property tycoon. Khan was given a 14-year sentence while his wife was given seven years, and Khan was fined 1m Pakistan rupees (£2,900).
The accountability court that ruled in the case had been specially set up inside Adialia prison where Khan has been languishing since he was arrested in August 2023. Bibi was arrested from the courtroom after the verdict was given.
Khan, who remains the country’s most popular political figure, has maintained that the cases against him are part of a “political witchunt” to keep him out of power. Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)governed from 2018 to 2022 but he was toppled from office after losing the support of the country’s highly powerful military. He subsequently embarked on a public spat with army leadership, accusing them of involvement in a plan to assassinate him.
