The Complete Magazine for the Region December 2019 www.southasia.com.pk

Afghanistan Afg. 50 Australia A$ 6 Taka 100 Bhutan NU 50 Brazil BRL 20 Canada C$ 6 China RMB 30 France EUR 45 Hong Kong HK$ 30 India Rs. 100 Japan ¥ 500 Korea Won 3000 Malaysia RM 6 Maldives Rf 45 Myanmar MMK10 Nepal NcRs. 75 New Zealand NZ$ 7 Rs. 200 Philippines P 75 Saudi Arabia SR 15 Singapore S$ 8 Sri Lanka Rs. 100 Thailand B 100 Turkey Lira. 2 UAE AED 10 UK £ 3 USA $ 5 Who Owns ? The capital of has no ownership. The provincial government, municipal bodies, the cantonments and the various development authorities squabble over responsibilities. Meanwhile, the city continues to be buried under garbage and chaos.

Pakistan India Sri Lanka Iraq Dharna Questions Kashmir to Kartarpur Rajapaksa Returns Crisis Country

Contents

17 Cover Story Karachi – a city where chaos breeds non-stop.

Islamabad Kabul Editor’s Desk 07 Dharna Questions 31 A Continuing Enigma 36 Readers’ Thoughts 08 Colombo Filer or Non-Filer? 32 Power to the President 38 Who Said That! 10 Karachi Kathmandu Carry Trade Destination 33 Grapevine 11 Meddlesome Neighbour 39 Kartarpur News Buzz 12 Future Uncertain 35 Cover Story Going Nowhere 17 Dealing with Karachi’s Problems 19 27 Why Karachi Sucks 21 Jiyay Mohajir? 23 Region Mumbai Bonhomie of Convenience 26 New Delhi Silicon Valley of Terrorism 27 A Judicial and Political Murder 29

4 SOUTHASIA • December 2019

Varavara Rao Sudhir Dhawale Rona Wilson 31 46

35 42 51

Award Art Stands Still 51 Zaffar Abbass 41 Lahore Invest to Earn 53 Neighbour 62 Kuala Lumpur Interview Standing His Ground 42 Dr. Farrukh Iqbal 55 Baghdad Tribute Crisis Country 43 Stephen Cohen 57 International Around Town London MAK and Young Fun 58 A Right Royal Conundrum 45 Another Susen Store 58 Ottawa Justin Trudeau 2.0 46 Reviews Feature Books Slavery, Suffering, Silence 59 Karachi India’s Habituation with the Bomb 60 Pakistan Navy’s New Clout 48 Theatre New Delhi Ali Baba Chalis Chor 61 Legacy of Oppression 50 Film Karachi Maleficent: Mistress of Evil 62

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 5 Ad 3 Editor’s DSlugesk

Dharna and After

Things were pretty clear when Maulana good of the opportunity and drove the last nail in the coffin Fazlur Rehman, president of Jamiat by formally absorbing Jammu and Kashmir into direct federal Ulema-e- (JUI-F), announced the control and splitting the Indian-occupied valley into two union Azadi March towards Islamabad to oust territories. This went unnoticed by the Maulana and he con- the government led by Imran Khan and tinued to pursue his vested interests. his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). True From plan A to B and C, at the time of writing the Maul- to his word, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ana was still out to fulfill his agenda. Ordering his stalwart together with his die-hard JUI support- supporters to block main arteries across the country to call- ers and a new crop of young madrassah ing the opposition parties to build more pressure on the PTI students armed with lathi sticks, staged government by fair means or foul, the sky seemed to be almost a two-week Dharna (sit-in) at the Mor in the limit for the Maulana’s pipe dream. The Government too the Capital. The Maulana said he had many a plan up his seemed to be doing everything wrong. Its economic perfor- sleeve to exert pressure on the ‘selected’ government, which mance was dismal. It time and again displayed an inability to he was confident about immediately toppling. He thought Im- tackle governance matters with any judiciousness. Both the ran Khan’s prime ministership was constitutionally illegitimate government and the Opposition seemed to be engaged in and that he had come to power, thanks to an engineered an effort to pull the rug from under each other’s feet. No one electoral mandate gifted by the powers that be. seemed to be really concerned about the everyday plight of Throughout the Dharna, the common man. The citizen Fazlur Rehman issued time- is now fed up with the on-go- bound warnings to the Prime ing political mud-slinging and Minister to quit and even made power game and finds himself threatening speeches against nowhere in the picture. the state and ‘institutions.’ who Bearing the brunt of a very were alleged to have been at low GDP growth rate, people the back of Imran Khan from have been trying to grapple day one. Opportunism has al- with the after-effects of the ways been the trademark of Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s dis- consistent devaluation of the PKR, skyrocketing inflation and tinctive political brand and the driving force behind his po- an alarming rate of unemployment. Then there is the govern- litical career. The idiocy of his attention-grabbing plan was ment’s abject failure to control prices of essential food items publicly exposed when the timing of his self-styled Azadi and establish the writ of the state in general. It seems to be an March coincided with Pakistan’s on-going campaign against open house for all. From the price of tomatoes to the missing India’s moves to usurp the State of Jammu & Kashmir. The dog-bite vaccine and the dengue epidemic, no one seems to Maulana himself served as Chairman of the Kashmir Commit- be in charge whether at the federal or provincial level. Paki- tee of the National Assembly from September 2008 to May stan obviously does not need Dharna politics because this is 2018. Though nothing significant happened for the Kashmir not the route to stability and economic security. This is the cause during his ten-year tenure, the Maulana should have time to build the country and to enforce strict measures to been the first person to realize that Kashmir needed to be in achieve goals in that direction. The system is almost on the the continued focus of international media more than ever. verge of collapse and needs swift handling. Let the govern- The Maulana needed to raise a strong voice in face of the In- ment rise to the occasion. The politicians on both sides of the dian atrocities in the Valley, the non-stop curfew and the gen- aisle must choose a path that leads to economic develop- eral lockdown. But he simply forgot about all that and was ment and social security. People like Maulana Fazlur Rehman hell-bent on his ‘Azadi March’ against Imran Khan. He was must understand the gravity of the situation in the national not bothered about overshadowing the Kashmir cause. The context. For its part, the PTI, instead of grappling with the result was that the national and international media focused opposition’s vendetta-based politics, must take drastic mea- more on the Dharna than highlighting Kashmir. India made sures to provide immediate relief to the people.

Syed Jawaid Iqbal President & Editor in Chief

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 7 Readers’ Thoughts

Connection Lost

December 2019 Vol.23 Issue 12 his is related to last month’s cover PRESIDENT & EDITOR IN CHIEF Tstory on ‘Kashmir Kiska Hai?’. Kashmir Syed Jawaid Iqbal has been in total lockdown, after India EDITOR revoked Articles 370 and 35-A which gave Javed Ansari special status and guarantees to maintain CONTRIBUTING EDITOR the identity and autonomy of Jammu and S. G. Jilanee Kashmir. The Kashmiris are deprived of basic ASSISTANT EDITORS human rights and are facing a crippling curfew, Faizan Usmani telecommunication blackout, arrests of political Syeda Areeba Rasheed leaders and whatnot. Pakistan has time and again tried to talk to India regarding the matter CONTRIBUTORS Amjad Ali Siyal – Atif Shamim Syed – Ayaz Ahmed but they have turned a deaf ear. The Prime Dr. Ahmed Saeed Minhas – Dr. Moonis Ahmar Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, even spoke Faizan Usmani – Imran Jan at the UN General Assembly and urged the world to unite and help solve the Justice (r) M. Shaiq Usmani – Maheen Aziz Major General (r) Inam Ul Haque Kashmir issue. Keeping in view the atrocities in occupied Kashmir which is turning Muhammad Ali Ehsan – Nadya Chishty-Mujahid worst day by day, we must understand that it has become incumbent upon the S.G. Jilanee – S.M. Hali – Sehrish Fatima United Nations to exert maximum pressure on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sikander Taimoor – Siraj M. Shawa Syed Kamran Hashmi – Syeda Areeba Rasheed and his government to not only lift the curfew but also withdraw Indian troops from Syeda Dhanak Fatima Hashmi – Taha Kehar Kashmir. Taj Haider Maham Khan, Islamabad, Pakistan. GRAPHICS & LAYOUT Haroon Rasheed Kamran Ghulam Nabi Riaz Masih Fight for Freedom emphasised that the Kashmiris will not General Manager-Marketing have any kind of dialogue with India for Syed Ovais Akhtar they have not made sacrifices for any CIRCULATION & DISTRIBUTION peacemaking formulas or purported Shehryar Zulfiqar confidence-building measures. They PRODUCTION & COORDINATION demand their right to self-determination Aqam-ud-Din Khan and will not accept anything less than a EDITORIAL & BUSINESS OFFICE fair plebiscite. 20-C, Lane 12, off Khayaban-e-Ittehad, Phase II Asad Kamal, Extension, DHA, Karachi - 75500, Pakistan Karachi, Pakistan. Phones: 92-21- 35313821-24 Fax: 92-21-35313832 outhAsia Magazine has always Website: www.southasia.com.pk Smanaged to deliver the best. The Email: [email protected] interview of Mushaal Hussein Mullick, Stripping MIDDLE EAST a freedom fighter and wife of detained REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik, is a living Pirana Advertising JLT Citizenship PO Box 486207, 1704, Level 17, HDS Tower, proof of the fact. It was really impressive Jumeirah Lake Towers Cluster F, Dubai, UAE to see her on the cover of the November his is with reference to the article Phone: +97-14- 4508309 issue, sharing her views regarding the ‘The Lost Citizens’ by Dr. Moonis Fax: +97-14-3688487 T Email: [email protected] human atrocities prevailing in Kashmir. Ahmar. Getting citizenship is the most Mushaal was of the view that India has

SouthAsia is published every month always been against peace talks and by Syed Jawaid Iqbal for and on behalf of Kashmiris had to pay that price in terms JAWZ Communications (Pvt.) Ltd. of torture and brutalities, not to forget and printed by Union Graphics, Karachi. rape which the Indian forces use as a Views expressed by the contributors are weapon. She also highlighted that it is not necessarily shared by the editors. not the duty of only a single country to Published since 1977 as Thirdworld, the magazine was settle the long-festering conflict. Giving re-launched in 1997 as SouthAsia. her message loud and clear, Mushaal

8 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Readers’ Thoughts

important thing a person should have to Tezgam Tragedy Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara against the prove his belonging to a country. Yet, in . Sri Lanka hardly ever convicts Assam, stateless people are deprived of here have been a lot of letters on the Buddhist monks as they represent the non- this right. A list of citizens in Assam called Ttragic railway incident that resulted violent aspect of Buddhist teachings and National Register of Citizens (NRC), a in so many fatalities. Various examples are considered as role models of peace. But policy of the Indian Government led by the are being cited but the Tezgam tragedy with Gnanasara, it is the other way around BJP, has shortlisted two million residents is a different affair. The majority of the as he has been continuously accused of out of 32 million who were to be deported people wants Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad's spreading hatred among the other faiths. He because of their origin in Bangladesh. In resignation because being the Railways was recently released from jail after having simple words, India is stripping two million Minister he failed to ensure the safety of the been given Presidential pardon. People like people of citizenship, particularly targeting train. However, the resignation of Sheikh Gnanasara are believers in fascism and are Muslim migrants, and the government of Rasheed is not the solution to the problem. destroyers of a diverse and pluralist society Assam is also mum about it. The crisis will that can never be at peace with itself. Strict have consequences in India and beyond action should be taken against him. its borders because if India is trying to Marzia Durani, transform the country into a Hindu state, it Kabul, . will contradict the Indian image of a secular, democratic and politically pluralist society. Female Malinga Asin Joshi, Assam, India. Airtel Sri Lanka’s Fastest, a competition to identify Sri Lanka’s finest budding fast bowling talent, provided equal opportunities Internet Exposure for both men and women to showcase their talents and in the attempt, Shayani n this era of digital revolution, smartphones The root cause needs to be attended to Senarathene who is dubbed as a female Iare available to everyone. Though most which is a violation of baggage rules. The question that arises is that when the law of the land forbids such items as gas cylinders to be carried in trains or buses, why is the rule violated? We need to do a thorough check of the baggage of travellers as it is done at airports. Once an unauthorized material is recovered, the person should be tried summarily otherwise we will be chasing shadows in the dark. Mukhtar Ahmed, schools prohibit the use of a phone during Bradford, UK. classes, we see students using them all the time. When students are so addicted to Malinga, was unearthed. She also turned their smartphones, the future looks scary. Fascist Monk out to be the winner of the Female Open A 2018 survey by the National Academy Category of Airtel Sri Lanka’s Fastest for Educational Management revealed how his is concerning the article ‘Decoding competition and has been selected to social media use has rapidly grown. Around TDangerous Trends’ by Dr. Muhammad represent her country at the inaugural ACC 29.5 percent of students are addicted Ali Ehsan. The article primarily discusses Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019. to using social media during their school the hardline views of the Buddhist monk Currently, she has a scorching speed of hours. Some are even becoming addicted 104 km/h. to watching pornography which changes Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka's bowling their habits and way of thinking. sensation, took on the world with his It is high time people realise this major cramping back-to-back wickets at the problem and come up with possible World Cup and with Shayani Senarathene, measures to stop children from excessive the hope for a new era is expected to take use of the internet. the legacy forward. Amdadul H Sarker, Roshani Tharin, Comilla, Bangladesh. Kandy, Sri Lanka.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 9 Who Said That!

“We claim Islam as Deen “Women are the victims of this “The murder of Pakistan’s first or a complete way of patriarchal culture, but they prime minister heralded the life.” are also its carriers. imminent derailment of - Pervez Musharraf, Let us keep in mind the political process former President of that every oppressive and the onset of a Pakistan man was raised in the brutal political culture confines of his mother’s of assassinations, home.” sustained by the -Shirin Ebadi, state’s direct or indirect “It’s more important to try Iranian political activist complicity.” -Ayesha Jalal, to do something for the historian. crores of poor people “For as long as I am alive, I will of my country.” not rest in my desire to - Imran Khan, lead my people out of “Azhar’s appointment as Prime Minister of an abyss of corruption Test captain is okay but if the Pakistan and poverty.” Board wanted to appoint - Fawzia Koofi, Babar as white-ball “In my opinion, the most Afghan politician. captain, they should important thing in have first groomed him governance is as I fear the burden management control.” “This law makes a man of T20 captaincy will - Joko Widodo, insecure, this law is affect his batting.” President of an attempt to make - Javed Miandad, Indonesia. Pakistan a Western colony again.” former Test cricketer. – Fazlur Rehman, “We need to see a Pakistani politician Palestinian state.” “If I can live life the way I - Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, want to, why can’t you “It is understandable that the President of Egypt. do it ?” patience of some – Wasim Akram, important members of former Test cricketer.. “Both my mother-in-law and the Security Council is Rajiv made it easy for running out.” me. I feel very Indian – Munir Akram, “I sometimes feel that and am not conscious Pakistan Permanent I have been born to of being an Italian in Representative at UN. attract controversy.” India.” - Amitabh Bachchan, - Sonia Gandhi, “When I was the Foreign Minister Indian actor. Indian politician. we made a lot of progress on all outstanding issues “Justice to all, appeasement including Jammu and “My father didn’t talk to of none - our party Kashmir.” me for 8 years because believes in this.” - Khurshid Mahmud of my working in - Rajnath Singh, Kasuri, Pakistani showbiz.” Indian Defence politician. - Maya Ali, Minister. Pakistani actress. “I have to say I like Obama a lot. “Making money is a His record is the best. He’s happiness. And that’s a always been vocal about “If I don’t feel confident about great incentive. Making his opposition to the my body, I’m not going to other people happy is war in Iraq. Frankly, he sit at home and feel sorry a super-happiness.” seems very good in a for myself and not do - Muhammad lot of ways.” something about it.” Yunus, Bangladeshi - Fatima Bhutto, -Kim Kardashian, economist. author. American actress.

10 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Grapevine

Now She Quits! abi Pirzada is in the news. RShe was earlier hauled in Great for keeping exotic animals as pets. These included pythons, Recital alligators and snakes. Now she has decided to quit showbiz and was reported to be in Saudi Arabia for Umrah. She said she was leaving oke Studio Season 12, with Rohail Hyatt showbiz because Cdirecting, presented Atif Aslam and his her private videos Muzaffar Warsi ‘Wohi Khuda Hai’ – the acclaimed hamd showing her strip- written by late poet Muzzafar Warsi. It was ping before cam- also earlier recited by . There were some eras went viral. Now who criticised Atif Aslam for his wrong pronunciation of certain people are even waiting words. But the recital is great and all praise for Atif. for her ‘Istighfaar’ show, like the one did. Fashion for Whom?

ashion thrives in a poor country like Pakistan. The design- Fers at Karachi’s Fashion Pakistan Week (FPW) 2019 put their best foot forward. Their emphasis seemed to be on bridal wear and a few winter clothes thrown in. The money that goes Publicity into organizing a fashion event can perhaps be better spent in langars for the poor and giving them winter Stunt clothes to fight the cold. he TikTok girl Hareem TShah became famous after her video at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs went viral. People wondered how she got into the ministry’s confer- ence room. The Prime Minister’s office also took notice and wanted to know how the breach occurred. Hareem Shah became an internet sensation after her videos with influential political people were released on the net.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 11 news buzz

Parwana Hun by Kashmir

op-rock band Kashmir has brought out their new single “Parwana Hun”. The track is accompanied by a music video, directed by Ashar Khalid. Parwana Hun is about man’s struggle to find the truth. The song is a representation of the Pband’s style and energetic stage presence. “Parwana Hun” is a follow up to their last single “Pari” and is a part of an album that will contain eight songs. Formed in 2012, Kashmir became known when they won the Pepsi Battle of the Bands in 2017. ARY and World Call Airbnb in China he Airbnb concept has worked with Chinese authorities. Their ‘Lost & RY Communications Limited has after tax, down by TFound’ campaign aims to preserve made a public announcement of its a massive 72.3% China’s heritage sites. Over 40 masters liv- Aintention to acquire more than 51% as compared to ing in various cities and regions of China of the issued and paid-up share have been invited to offer their expertise to capital and control in World Call Airbnb’s global travel community on its digi- Telecom Limited. tal platform. Shajar Capital has been ap- Airbnb has collaborated with the UCCA pointed as the manager to the Centre for Contemporary Art, China’s lead- offer by ARY Communications ing contemporary art institution, to build a and ARY Digital FZLLC. physical ‘Lost & Found’ exhibition at their Major shareholders of World museum. A group of modern artists and ar- Call Telecom Limited include chitects have created a series of exhibitions WorldCall Services with 27.79% based on their personal Airbnb apprentice- holding, Ferret Consulting with ship experiences that incorporate interactive 17.97% holding and ABM installations and workshops. Management Consultants with 7.51% share. Rs. 981 million earned last year. The com- Based on the annual audited accounts pany’s revenue witnessed a slight increase for 2018, the total number of issued shares of 2% to Rs. 3.3 billion as compared to Rs. of World Call Telecom are 1,805,921,917 3.32 billion, indicating sustained growth at the price of Rs. 10 per share. After the compared to last year, with LDI (Rs. 1.66 announcement, WTL’s shares at the stock billion) and the broadband businesses (Rs. exchange touched a high of Rs. 1.33. 1.7 billion) being the major contributors to World Call reported a Rs. 272 million profit the revenue.

12 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 news buzz

Bangladesh at Miss Universe 2019

or the first time, the Miss Universe pageant will have a Muslim model, Shirin Akter Shela. She is a Physics student at the FUniversity of Dhaka and is from Thakurgaon. Shirin Shela has al- ready been crowned Miss Universe Bangladesh and was later selected to represent her country at the beauty pageant. At Miss Universe Bangladesh, Shirin was crowned by Indian actress Sushmita Sen, who won the Miss Universe title in 1994. This is the first time someone from Bangladesh and from a Muslim-majority country in South Asia will compete in Miss Universe.

Kamil gets doctorate Best Place to Do Business ima Kamil, President & CEO UBL has been conferred with the hon- akistan has tied with Canada, Sorary degree of ‘Doctor of the Australia and Finland at number 1 University Honoris Causa’ by the Kingston Pposition as one of the best places to University in London. The doctorate was make a living, according to Forbes maga- awarded at the graduation ceremony of the zine. Faculty of Business and Social Sciences held at the University. Ms. Kamil is a Kingston University alumna. The honorary degree has been awarded to Sima Kamil for her outstanding contribution to diversity in business leadership.

Sitara on Netflix Government support and access to non- he animated short film ‘Sitara’ is being financial assistance in Pakistan lags behind released on Netflix. The film revolves most countries. However, Pakistan scores Taround a young girl named Pari who exceptionally high for women in leadership dreams about being a pilot but ends up be- positions and ease of accessing investment. ing married off. The story is depicted through The US is now at 32nd position, the number the eyes of her younger sister, Mehr. Waadi that was occupied by Pakistan earlier. Animations have created the film. Writes Forbes, “Pakistan despite having limited government support and being dif- ficult to sell to businesses and government agencies still commands #1 for earning a living. The nation’s comeback in this cat- egory is a remarkable feat given the coun- try was ranked #30 in 2016. The improve- ment of liveable income may be because Pakistan has become a more open market for do-good companies to sell to the gen- eral public.”

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 13 news buzz

Mehwish as BB

enazir Bhutto may get further immor- Btalized through Mehwish Hayat. In an interview with BBC , she said she will play Benazir Bhutto in a film.

‘Humrahi’ by EFU

FU Life Assurance has released life by tying the knot. its web series titled ‘Humrahi’ that Through this web series, EFU encour- Says she: “This is the story of a hero. Efeatures Zahid Ahmad and Rabab ages the couple to get insurance policies Benazir Bhutto is a hero to me and I love Hashim. It is a huge step towards mon- as a medium of saving money to fulfil their that woman. Her story is so inspirational etizing the international community by di- needs and live a lavish life which is only to me. This generation and the genera- versifying the Pakistani media’s platform. considered to be a sign of the wealthy. tions ahead must see her contributions, The series follows the journey of two The series takes the youth on a journey of her struggles and her progress. She was young people who are at the peak of romance and responsibilities. the first woman [to be] Prime Minister.” their life. They are looking for prospective They also have a little girl and they Mehwish said the role of Bhutto will be matches to settle down in what can be are seen talking about saving to give her unlike anything she has played as it will called the ‘rishta dikhaai culture’. The first higher education so that she has better undeniably be a complex journey to bring episode will be all about that meeting and career options. This emphasizes female BB’s character on screen. how the pair embarks on their journey of education. Price of Bahria ‘The Grudge’ Reboot Adventure

ony has announced reboot of the 2011, it was already speculated that the film he Bahria Town in Karachi recently 2004 Japanese-American horror will have a sequel. Tcelebrated the grand opening of Sfilm ‘The Grudge’. The new Grudge Pakistan’s will be rated R, which means the film will be first interna- loaded with blood and gore. Nicolas Pesce tional theme has directed the project and Demián Bichir, park ‘Bahria John Cho, Betty Gilpin, Jacki Weaver and Adventure Lin Shaye will be seen in key roles. Land’ with The film will focus on the aftermath when spectacular a detective starts to investigate the grudged fireworks. house where a murder has taken place. The theme park has thrilling and exciting ‘The Grudge’ reboot is about a single moth- rides, roller-coasters, water rides, ferris er and a young detective Muldoon (Andrea wheels and a lot more. Riseborough) who discovers that the sub- The only thing that might bother visitors urban house is cursed by a vengeful ghost is the entry fees. An adult pays Rs. 4000 who dooms those who enter it with a violent while for children it is Rs. 3000 per head. death. The mother thus runs to save her- Where the park does entertain, it is a big self and her son from demonic spirits from no-no in terms of accessibility for the the cursed house in her neighbourhood. In general public.

14 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 news buzz

FPCCI CREATES HISTORY

PCCI organized the 43rd FPCCI Export Awards Ceremony at which the President Fof Pakistan, Mr. Arif Alvi presided. The Fed- eration of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry held many other meetings and hosted events to boost Pakistan’s trade and industry. The Specialized Committee meetings and the 27th Executive Committee Meeting of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO-CCI) were held on November 13 and 14 at the FPCCI Head Office in Karachi. Mr. Imran Ismail, Governor Sindh, was present on the occasion. The 29th Board of Directors and 62nd Financial Committee meetings of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (ICCIA) were held on November 15 and 16 at Movenpick Hotel. Mr. Abdur Razak Dawood, Advisor to Prime Minister for Commerce, Textile, Industry & Production and Investment was present on the occasion. Other notables included H.E Sheikh Khalifa Jassim Al Thani, First Vice President ICCIA, Azaraksh Hafizi, President ECO CCI and Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Vice President ICCIA & President, TOBB. Delegates from Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Niger, Palestine and Oman attended the meeting. An Investment Bridge themed ‘Exploring Opportunities, Integrating Businesses’ was organized on the sidelines. Mr. Jam Kamal Khan, Chief Minister of Balochistan was present. Presentations were made Turkey Joint Chamber of Commerce Forum which was attended by by Turkey, Iran and the Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan Boards of Turkish delegates representing various industrial sectors. Investment. An exhibition of Pakistani products and Islamic art showcased the FPCCI and TOBB organized the 2nd Board Meeting of Pakistan- potential of Pakistani art and crafts at these meetings. KSA offers host visas

akistani expatriates in Saudi Arabia will now be able to call their loved Pones on a new visa known as “host visa”, which will allow the hosting of people under their personal sponsorship. The Directorate General of Passports (Jawazat) in KSA and the Ministry of Haj and Umrah are carrying out studies about the in- troduction of the “host visa” service through the Ministry of Interior’s portal of Absher. Under this visa system, a citizen or expa- triate can host from three to five Umrah pil- host visa, which would cost 500 Saudi Riyal stay either in hotels, furnished apartments or grims. As for citizens, they can host anyone per person for a year. The same person can with them in their residential apartments. whom he wants to bring in. However, as far be brought to the Kingdom at least three The visa holders can travel freely around as expatriates are concerned, they can only times in a year after issuance of separate visa the Kingdom and participate in tourist activi- bring close relatives. for each travel through Absher. ties. The data of the guests will be recorded The Jawazat and the ministry will soon The visa will allow the hosts to entertain in the Civil Status registry of citizens and come out with a working mechanism for the their guests with full freedom for travel and Absher portal of expatriates.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 15 news buzz

Prequel of Game of Thrones

he ‘Game of Apple AirPods Thrones’ cre- pple went massive with its new Pro hit the shelves, they appeared in the Tators have global campaign to promote its new dancers’ ears. In total, Apple created 31 announced a pre- AAirPods Pro. The company dropped images, about half of which appeared in quel series for HBO larger-than-life images of lithe dancers in out-of-home ads and half at retail loca- titled ‘House of the eye-popping poses – some reaching 40 tions. Dragons’. The pre- feet tall and even breaking out of the ex- The AirPods Pro showed the flexibility quel will be set 300 pected framework of massive out-of-home and freedom afforded by the cord-free years before the ac- displays. They wrapped around the corner earbuds, such as a film depicting a man tual events of Game of a building, peered down at busy inter- bouncing across city streets and another of Thrones. Miguel sections or spanned sides of highways in in which a man magically defies gravity. Sapochnik will partner major cities around the world, including Features of the AirPods Pro include ac- with Ryan Condal as London, Paris, Tokyo, Dubai and Milan. tive noise cancellation, tapered silicon tips showrunner and will direct the pilot and ad- The colossal figures started to pop up and transparency mode that let’s outside ditional episodes while Condal will be writ- from late October and when the AirPods noises in. ing the series. ‘Game of Thrones’ has been a block- buster series and has racked many awards Faisal’s Money-Back during its run. The series comprised seven seasons, all having a surprise story. ‘House of Dragons’ will present the story of the Guarantee Targaryen Dynasty, a dynasty that has the aisal Qureshi’s film ‘Money- abilities to tame dragons, just like the one in Back Guarantee’ could be ‘How To Train Your Dragon’. Fan exciting project. It has Fawad Khan in the lead role as well as cricketer Wasim Akram. Johnny Depp The film is a satirical comedy involving a bank robbery. Akram Out will be playing the villain in a small but important role, while Khan will has also been approached for a cameo. isney has roped be the hero. The cast also includes Mikaal ‘Money-Back Guarantee’ will begin shoot- in ‘Pirates of the Zulfiqar, Kiran Malik, Gohar Rasheed, Mani, ing in Karachi followed by a shooting sched- DCaribbean’ veteran Javed Sheikh, Hina Dilpazir, Afzal Rambo, ule in Thailand. The film will be released in Ted Elliot and Chernobyl cre- Shaniera and Qureshi himself. Mahira Khan 2020. ator Craig Mazin to work on the story of the reboot of the Zhang at Reuter Communications film franchise. The first part of the film had commercial success while the ntelligence and communications agen- international brands on Chinese remaining received mixed reviews. cy Reuter Communications has hired culture and localisation. Though the franchise is a hit among fans, ITracy Zhang as Director in Shanghai Reuter connects luxury brands Johnny Depp will not be seen in the film as where she will develop integrated mar- and businesses with affluent con- he was seen more than enough in the last keting and digital strategies for clients in sumers in Asia and their clients series of films. the luxury, beauty and fashion sectors. include Sotheby’s, Harrods, Swire The five previous Pirates films had Johnny Zhang was previously Group Account Hotels, Este´e Lauder and Swarovski. The Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and also Director at BBDO Shanghai. Altogether, she agency has offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong, featured Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley has over 15 years of experience in advising Singapore and Dubai. and Geoffery Rush.

16 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Cover Story

Going Nowhere Karachi is a city that now looks like being bereft of hope. There could be many solutions to its countless smouldring problems but the will seems to be missing at the federal level.

By Justice (r) M. Shaiq Usmani tall and tough people found wherever hard the foolhardiness of the MQM leadership, labour was required. Mohajirs, as they are it resulted in actual marginalization of the hose of us who have seen the city of known today, were never a identifiable unit Mohajirs to prevent what ironically the MQM Karachi from the late fifties through and if Karachi had remained the Capital they party was created for in the first place. the seventies are, to say the least, were bound to have been absorbed in the The fallout of these developments on Tdepressed to see its surroundings local milieu in time like the Baloch before. By the residents of Karachi, regardless of their today. One can write pages after pages and large, it was a well-managed society and ethnic origin, was that the well-managed about what Karachi was and what it has the Commissioner of Karachi lorded over the city of Karachi of yore no longer remained become but it will be a pointless exercise. city and ran a tight ship. well-managed. All services collapsed and Briefly stated Karachi’s woes began when The massive influx of population in later widespread corruption led to haphazard Ayub Khan, out of sheer hubris and dislike years from the Northern areas, not unlike the and disorganised development of the city, for Karachi and its, what he regarded as, Americans moving west in the early years of resulting in the urban centre, except some pusillanimous culture moved the Capital from American history in search of jobs, led to a areas that were managed by the offshoots here to the wilderness surrounding the then change in the culture of Karachi and hence of the armed forces, such as Defence Garrison town of Rawalpindi. engendered resistance from the so-called Housing Authority, becoming by and large Thus, by one stroke, Karachi became a Mohajirs who feared marginalization. Soon uninhabitable. Surprisingly, all this while, part of Sindh and a ripe fruit fell into the lap they found an advocate for their aspirations in the Federal Government, except for a brief of the Sindh Government, when those who the shape of a political party that came to be period when Musharraf ruled Pakistan and have seen Karachi from the days of yore known as MQM. This party soon transformed introduced City District Governments, took know that Karachi was never a Sindhi town into a violent party, more so because of turf no interest in solving the problems of Karachi at all. The language that was most spoken wars as in the mean time the who, and whenever it did try to do so half-heartedly, here in the early years of Pakistan was Gujrati, after the transfer of the Capital to Islamabad, it was resisted by the Sindh Government and neither Urdu nor Sindhi, and the population claimed ownership of Karachi without really it was dubbed as interference in the affairs of was a mix of Bohris, Marwaris, Kutchis, becoming part of the Karachi ethos and the province of Sindh. Fortunately, meanwhile Memons, , Baloch and of course the began to assert themselves to boot. With the influence of MQM waned and, in time, redoubtable Makranis who ruled the roost, a time, the tussle grew and eventually due to due to the shenanigans of its Supremo at the

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time, it virtually became extinct. However, the Province shall be so exercised as not to correct the imbalance in the administrative damage was done and the infrastructure of impede or prejudice the exercise of the machinery as it exists in Karachi. If the Karachi was ruined and due to breakdown executive authority of the Federal, and the Federal Government nevertheless acts of municipal services the city became a executive authority of the Federation shall independently the Supreme Court is bound dump of garbage and was inundated with extend to the giving of such directions to to interfere at the behest of the Province to overflowing gutters. a Provinces as may appear to the Federal prevent the Federal Government from taking The question now arises: what is to be Government to be necessary for that such an action. done about the unfortunate city of Karachi ? purpose. Under the circumstances the only It is obvious that the answer lies in (4)The executive authority of the solution to the problem of imbalance in the giving the city an efficient and effective local Federation shall also extend to the giving of administrative machinery of Karachi, short government but unfortunately the Sindh directions to a Province as to the manner in of creating a separate province, which the Government regards this as giving up their which the executive authority thereof is to be Provincial Assembly of the Sindh Government control over the city, which they claim as exercised for the purpose of preventing any will never approve, is an Amendment to Art a matter of right. Consequently, the Local grave menace to the peace or transquality or 140-A of the Constitution to explicitly lay Government laws in Sindh are most ineffective economic life of Pakistan or any part thereof. down as to what sort of Local Government amongst all the provinces, the aim being that A plain reading of the Art 149 would should be formed in a Province just as the power over the institutions in Karachi must show that this Article was introduced in the Constitution clearly lays down as to what sort not be ceded to the Karachities. It is in these Constitution because in any Federation there of Provincial Government is to be formed in circumstances that the new political party, is always a possibility of conflict between the a Province. i.e. PTI which has partly replaced MQM in Federation and the Province in the exercise This is so because to expect the Karachi and happens to be in power at the of authority of the Federation. In such an traditional Rulers of all Provinces, where centre, started thinking in terms of finding event, under this Article, directions can be feudals govern, to voluntarily evolve a strong ways and means to be able to interfere in given by the Federation to the Province for local government is to expect the impossible the affairs of Karachi as they cannot change the purposes of enforcing the authority of because they are loath to let an alternate the Local Government laws since they lack the Federation. However, it must be noted centre of power emerge in the cities in the the requisite strength in Sindh’s Provincial that this Article can only be invoked when shape of mayors or the erstwhile nazims of Assembly. there is an apprehension of the Provincial the Musharraf era. While in other provinces, Unfortunately the Constitution of Government acting in a manner where the because of absence of commerce and urban Pakistan is extremely circumspect about any exercise of authority by the Federation is culture, the feudals manage to control even provisions regarding local governments even likely to be impeded in any manner. the cities through their surrogates, in Karachi though a strong local government is the soul On the other hand, sub-article 4 of Art they find themselves helpless hence their of democracy. There is only one superficial 149 is meant to cater for the situation where unwillingness to introduce a comprehensive Article in the Constitution, i.e. Art 140-A, which the Provincial Government is likely to act local government system. Consequently deals with establishing Local Government. It in a manner prejudicial to peaceful running there is a definite need to amend Art 140-A is so brief and ineffective that any provincial of the province or in a manner that there is and lay down explicitly as to what sort of assembly can in fact ignore it completely by an apprehension of the economic life of the local government the Provincial Assembly merely going through the motions of forming Province being gravely disturbed. ought to introduce. Need it be said that a local government with little or no devolution It is obvious that both the afore-stated essentially nations, that are not ethnically of administrative or financial responsibility. provisions of the Constitution whereby the homogenous, opt for a Federal system not Whatever powers the National Assembly Federal Government can act are conditional only to give autonomy to constituent units had to make laws for a province, were taken upon the Federation’s authority being of the Federation but to give power to the away by abolishment of the concurrent list impeded and not otherwise, that is to say if a people of the respective Provinces at the from the legislative lists through the 18th Province exercises its authority in the province grassroot level, by providing for a strong Amendment to the Constitution. Under the in a manner that it does not impinge on the local government that vies with the Provincial circumstances, now the only way that the authority of the Federation, then this Article Government itself for therein lies the true Federal Government can act in the interest cannot be invoked. Besides, even when it spirit of democracy in a Federation. of the people of a province is by relying on can be invoked, the power of the Federation Art 149 of the Constitution, particularly its is limited to only giving “Directions” to the The writer is a former sub article (4). Before discussing what can or Provincial Government and not to take any Chief Justice of the Sindh cannot be done by the Federal Government direct unilateral action. High Court. He has under this Article, it would be appropriate to It is obvious therefore that given the been actively involved reproduce it below: current situation in Karachi, if the Federal in human and women’s 149. Directions to Province in certain Government invokes Art 149, it will not be rights. cases. (1) The executive authority of every able to act independently in the Province to

18 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Cover Story Dealing with Karachi’s Problems There is no doubt that the city of Karachi attracts a huge population of job-seekers and settlers from all over Pakistan which sets urban planning topsy-turvy. But all is not lost. The solution lies in accepting the problems and dealing with them in a realistic manner. The Sindh Government realizes its responsibilities and is taking steps to find workable answers.

production of items of everyday use. on a daily basis and the effect on our wage By Taj Haider Unfortunately those who are linking revenue structure and living conditions because of onstant economic migration into collection with the distribution of resources cheap labour coming from other provinces. the city coupled with severe lack are ignoring basic economic principles. The population of Sindh has always of resources are two perennial Villages have survived for centuries without been undercounted, resulting in reduced Cproblems that continue to remain mega cities. Mega cities cannot survive for transfer of financial resources from the the main and basic hurdles in the development even a fortnight without villages. Divisible Pool. The Census of 2017 was also of Karachi. However, we should also keep Economic migration into the city from conducted on the de-jure principle, meaning in mind that the constitutional duty of every other provinces has given rise to the so- that one shall be counted in the province Government is to bring underdeveloped called Katchi Abadis. At present, more than from where he has migrated and not where areas at par with the developed areas. This of half of Karachi’s citizens live in these slums. he presently lives. The population of Karachi, course is a very difficult task but reducing the These people have had to migrate to Karachi as communicated to me by NADRA in 2013, gap between the developed and backward and other parts of Sindh from other provinces stood at 21,347,871. After a passage of 4 areas cannot be undertaken without a since hardly any job opportunities have years, the population of Karachi in the 2017 judicious distribution of the available but been created by the Federal Government census was put at 16,051521 because meager financial resources. or Provincial Governments of the other economic migrants from other provinces, There does exist a problem of looking three provinces. Their recipe for survival of illegal migrants and others who did not have down upon the rural population. They their working classes is for their workers a NIC were not counted. This has happened grow the food which the city populations to go abroad illegally by risking life and, if all over Sindh, where Seraikis, Baluchs, survive upon. However, when it comes to one lacks that kind of suicidal courage, one Punjabis and Pakhtoons have been counted distribution of resources and provision of migrates to Sindh. It is not only in Karachi in the population of their original provinces basic amenities and utility services, villages but the inundation of jobless workers is and not in the population of Sindh. are totally sidelined. Agricultural land is continuing all over Sindh. Something that Census is included in Part 2 of the Federal limited and the rural population is increasing has never been taken into account is the Legislative List and has to be supervised exponentially. Thus, a continuous migration quantum of the flight of capital from Sindh jointly by the Federation and the Province. from the rural to the urban In spite of many written areas for economic survival and verbal protests of the is taking place and is putting Government of Sindh, the increased pressure on the census exercise remained cities. We must remember the exclusive domain of the that unless our villages Federal Government. While prosper, our cities cannot an enumerator or the army survive. Higher yields in the man accompanying him agriculture sector are the had access to the count only way to arrest inflation of a household, the Chief and to raise rural incomes. Minister of Sindh was denied Constant increase in the the information under the purchasing power of our excuse of privacy of the farmers is the only way to household. When I took up enlarge the domestic market the issue in the Senate of and to increase industrial Pakistan and blocked the

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 19 Cover Story

24th Amendment which allowed slums in partnership with real the use of provisional census estate developers. We plan figures for Elections 2018, to develop and transform our an agreement was signed by existing slums on similar lines. leaders of all political parties in I have always opposed BRTs. the Senate to correct the figures For the cost of Green Line BRT in by holding a recount on the Karachi we could have purchased de-facto principle in randomly 1000 buses. Respected former sampled 5% population blocks. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali The implementation of this All Shah Sahib felt that we should Parties Agreement has yet to accept the project since we see the light of day while Sindh shall get two extra traffic lanes continues to suffer because of paucity of Sindh by creating a conducive environment and the cost was being paid by the Federal resources. This paucity has increased to for the growth of industry and trade. I am Government. The Federal Government has alarming limits by the failure of the Federal happy to note that some progress has been withheld its support and now the Provincial Government to collect due taxes of the made on almost all these fronts. Notable Government is forced to get the corridor Federal Divisible Pool. among these are the Thar Coal and Power completed at its own cost. People from all over Pakistan are coming Projects, the combined cycle Nooriabad BRTs mean that there would be empty in while due resources are being withheld. 100 MW power plant and the transmission space of around two kilometers between Around sixty percent of patients in our line to run the Dhabeji pumping station, the two buses travelling on it. A lane along government hospitals come from other wind power projects of the Jhampir wind the footpath reserved for public transport provinces because of poor, inadequate and corridor, RO plants for cleaning sea water at of all kinds is the solution that has been expensive medical services in the other Hawkes Bay and Baba Bhit and about 60 so successfully adopted in modern cities. three provinces and the Federal Capital and other places and the work done on the TP 1 BRT structures are mere showpieces because in Sindh these are free of cost. Who and TP 3 sewage treatment plants. providing little relief to the commuters. We would make his sick patient travel a thousand TP 1 and TP 3 sewage treatment plants find that already the private sector has kilometers if medical facilities were available are presently cleaning 130 MGD of sewage. brought in modern coaches on the roads of near home. With the patients necessarily A pilot RO plant has been put up at TP 1 and Karachi which are providing good service. come one or two caretakers. Most of the is using part of the output to produce clean GoS has also announced that it will run a caretakers prefer to stay back and find a drinking water. Various projects, including sizeable number of buses in private-public living in Sindh rather than remaining without all the treatment plants have been placed partnership. This is a proper mode which has work in their home towns. under CPEC and will produce 390 MGD of already proved its efficacy in many hospitals In our policy planning meetings I have drinking water for Karachi. Cleaned sewage and educational institutions in Sindh. always emphasized that while it was being produced at TP 1 at present is not By and large, the resumption of the important to demand justice for Sindh, we drinkable but is being used to meet the water on modern lines should stop expecting that we shall ever get requirements of some industries in SITE. promises to be a project that should look justice even if we had a PPP Government A slum transformation project to turn after the major commuting problems of the in Islamabad. We have to accept the the Katchi Abadis into modern housing people of Sindh. This project has now been challenge of injustice and deprivation and projects is now being worked upon by the included in CPEC. Our record shows that formulate our strategies to modernize Sindh Government of Sindh. The basic concept of we have completed another CPEC project, in the shortest possible time in spite of the this project is to build residential highrises the Thar Coal project five months ahead constraints. We have to revolutionize our by acquiring the valuable land of the Katchi of its completion time. I trust that work on agriculture, invest in bio-saline agriculture as Abadi dwellers at market prices. The the KCR, in spite of the hurdles raised by a major breakthrough, develop our natural apartments built at these housing complexes Pakistan Railways, will start shortly and resources, concentrate on clean and cheap will be given to the original dwellers at much the project will be completed ahead of its renewable energy, revive closed industries reduced prices after adjusting the prices of completion date. and put up new ones, transform our slums, the land surrendered by them. The extra improve the road infrastructure, provide apartments built on the land will be sold at The writer is a former senator and has public transport, recycle our garbage and market prices. In my trips to China I have shared his thoughts extensively on sewage, improve collection of provincial studied similar projects which provide nuclear policy issues, taxes, bypass the bureaucratic hurdles by decent living conditions to original dwellers left-wing ideas and literary involving the private sector and NGOs in of the slums and also earn substantial funds and political philosophy. the public-private partnership mode and for the state. In China they have built most He can be reached at develop Karachi and other urban centres of modern housing complexes on previous [email protected]

20 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Cover Story

Why Karachi Sucks The mega city bristles with untold miseries and continues to survive like an orphan.

By S.G. Jilanee

ith a 23 million population and a 3,780 sq. km. spread, Karachi is Pakistan’s largest W city. It is also the country’s commercial, industrial and financial centre, as well as its only seaport. The city also boasts a round-the-year mild climate, sprawling beaches with sparkling sands that invite sunbathers, while its sea coast is dotted with health resorts. With such a shining score card, Karachi should have been a cool, prosperous city. Instead, it sucks. It is woebegone and miserable. Karachi is also Pakistan’s garbage capital and seat of corruption. Litter is scattered over all open spaces, while refuse is dumped alongside roads, by- lanes and footpaths. And corruption city. The decision-makers overlooked the of Karachi stand practically disenfranchised burgeons because the province is fact that, as Pakistan’s capital, Karachi insofar as they have no representative in governed by Pakistan Peoples’ Party, had developed into a cosmopolitan the Sindh government. The situation calls which is synonymous with corruption. city, outside the Sindh province. It was for urgent steps by the government for Civic amenities are few. Transportation not only home to millions of migrants damage control because it is as plain as is in a mess. The once flourishing Karachi from India, displaced by the communal daylight that the burgeoning street crime Circular Railway is defunct. Some time carnage unleashed there in the aftermath in Karachi is a direct consequence of the ago there were reports about its revival, of Partition, but also to people from within frustration of the people at being deprived but they did not materialize. There was the country, who flocked to Karachi for of their political rights. also some talk about reviving Karachi’s old work. In consequence of this demographic Indeed, street crime is so rampant tramway system. But nothing happened. upheaval, Karachi became the home of and so out of control for the provincial Without a question, it is the Government non-Sindhi people. government that large numbers of of Pakistan that is directly responsible for As long as it was a federal territory, paramilitary troops are permanently Karachi’s wretchedness. Its misfortunes as capital of Pakistan, the impact of this deployed to supplement the police force. date from the moment the rulers of gross anomaly was not felt. But when it But, this is a shortsighted approach to the Pakistan wrenched the capital away from was handed over to Sindh, the effects problem which requires a radical and long- there, in utter disrespect to the founder of of change surfaced with acute force that term solution. Pakistan, whose birthplace Karachi is. turned Karachi into a classic prototype The ruling Pakistan Peoples’ Party However, Karachi could have lived of the old colonial rule, where the Sindhi should have taken notice of the chaos with the change, if at least, its status rulers and their non-Sindhi subjects are prevailing in Karachi and adopted as federal territory, which it enjoyed as ethnically different and do not speak the appropriate measures to stem the rot. But Pakistan’s capital, were left unaltered. But, same language. it is too concerned with plundering the the city was callously downgraded by the But, democracy is a game of numbers. city’s resources to spare any time for its government to the position of a provincial So nobody takes notice if 23 million people development and redress its miseries.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 21 Cover Story

Anon, the federal government’s their own representative overseeing law conscience stirs with life and it lets out and order in the city as a cabinet minister, a puff of hot air, full of sound and fury, the criminals will have to lie low. We don’t announcing lofty plans to turn this miserable What the Karachi Committee will city’s fortunes, including allocation of huge recommend, and how long it will take for promise sums of money, But, in reality they amount it to be translated into action is a matter to nothing, because the schemes and of sheer guessing at present. But, the you Asia... plans never see the light of government should have day. The started work on some of the just the In a fit of exuberance, Government development schemes for sometimes, the Centre which financial allocations speaks of “transforming” can try the have been announced from South of it! Karachi, without ever next best time to time. explaining what they would However, the only way transform the city into. solution, by to restore Karachi’s glorious Ideally, though, the city could declaring past as the “City of Lights” is be transformed into a federal Karachi for the Federal Government territory. to atone for the insult it did Transportation is a Federal to the nation’s Founder, by Karachi’s principal problem. territory and arbitrarily shifting the capital But the revival of the Karachi he had chosen. Of course, Circular Railway still remains Pakistan’s what has been done cannot a dream. The talk about winter be entirely undone. bringing back Karachi’s tram Karachi cannot, once service is, therefore, idle capital. again, be made Pakistan’s talk. capital. But the Government Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to can try the next best solution, by declaring be seized of the problem and its urgency. Karachi a Federal territory and Pakistan’s He has, therefore, formed a committee winter capital. with federal ministers for Planning and Several crucial benefits would accrue Development, Maritime Affairs and Law, in such an arrangement. First of all it would as its members, to look into Karachi’s offer some respite to Federal Government problems and recommend measures for officials from the biting winter. But, more their redress. But, because, no deadline importantly, it will emancipate the people has been announced for the submission of Karachi from the colonial rule of the of the report, there should be little ground Sindh government. Under direct Federal to hope for results any time soon. If the administration, the city’s civic services will committee fails to show any results within improve and it will progress. Know the region inside out. reasonable time, it will die and be forgotten This city of 23 million (private estimates Have SouthAsia Magazine as usual. put the population at 3 million) waits for a delivered to your doorstep It would, however, be more sensible Messiah who could make it look forward. if the problems were tackled piecemeal, It needs better roads, better sanitation and every month. instead of a package, all at once. For a better transport system, among many For subscription details, example, the frustration of the people of other things. Hopefully, the Prime Minister please visit our website: Karachi can be removed at one stroke will survive onslaughts on his office so that www.southasia.com.pk through a presidential ordinance making it the Karachi Committee is able to complete mandatory for the government of Sindh to its work. induct a home minister from Karachi in the provincial cabinet. The writer is a senior political analyst and former Without any question, this could be The Complete Magazine for the Region the magic recipe to combat Karachi’s main editor of SouthAsia. 20-C, Lane 12, off Khayaban-e-Ittehad, problem, which is street crime. Apply it He can be reached at Phase II Extension, DHA, Karachi-75500. today and watch the drastic downslide in [email protected] Tel: +9221 35313821-24, Fax: +9221 35313832 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.cmc.com.pk street crimes. The reason is obvious. With

22 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Cover Story Jiyay Karachi Mohajir?

Much soul-searching is required by the Urdu- speaking people to determine the losses they have incurred by opting for a Mohajir identity.

Muslim League leadership to some 92 mil- lion Muslims of British India. Nevertheless, the elation of being in a newly-independent Muslim country of their own, which was created out of their decades-long struggle and sacrifice, over- whelmed the sense of alienation of the Ur- du-speaking migrants, who were welcomed By Faizan Usmani to start a new life from scratch. with many derogatory terms. Among these, Since the grass is always greener on the the name tags of ‘Urdu speaking’ and he Mohajir Qaumi Movement other side, they soon found their dreams ‘Mohajir’ were the least demoralizing. The (MQM), later re-branded as the shattered and found themselves having last-mentioned was later adopted as a dis- Muttahida Qaumi Movement, was stepped into a land that was predominantly tinctive identity to project their political fan- Tformed in the middle of the 1980s, ruled by a tribal mindset, marked with eth- tasies through the MQM’s platform. mainly to represent and safeguard the inter- nic favouritism, racial segregation and lin- Since 1947, a litany of events has kept ests of the Urdu-speaking community living gual differences. For the Urdu-speaking shaking and shaping in urban Sindh, mainly in Karachi, Hydera- migrants, Jinnah’s Pakistan appeared to the Mohajir mindset bad and Sukkur. be wholly different from that of their fancied fraught with an en- In the political scene prevailing at that world, which was ceaselessly portrayed trenching sense of time, the term ‘Mohajir’, or migrant, was an and eternally promised by the All-India insecurity, injustice, innovative but ironic expression which suc- racial prejudice and cinctly represented the lot of those people lingual who had migrated from India to Pakistan Bushra Zaidi during the Partition in 1947. The word ‘Mo- hajir’ by itself was a euphemism for ‘panah gir’ or , a term commonly used by local populations to refer to the Urdu- speaking people, the self-styled Baneeyan- e-Pakistan, who were landing in droves in the Promised Land to resettle themselves

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 23 Cover Story

discrimination. The assassination of the country’s first prime minister Khan Liaquat Ali Khan in 1951, the Ayub Khan era from 1958 to 1969, the shifting of the national capital from Karachi to Islamabad in 1960, the breaking away of East Pakistan in 1971 and the imposition of the infamous quota system in Sindh during the prime minister- ship of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who played a greater role in cementing the rural-urban di- vide in the province, were the most eventful periods for the Urdu-speaking community. Orchestrated by the civil-military estab- lishment, a consistent, well-planned slew of social engineering machinations in the ensuing decades kept disturbing the demo- graphic balance of a Mohajir-dominated Ka- rachi, the financial capital of the country. The metropolis was termed as a ‘Mini Pakistan’. Urdu-speaking community outrightly dis- sain gave us recognition, a distinctive politi- Contrary to the nationwide perception, how- approved the formation of the MQM along cal identity amidst the rest of the identities ever, Karachi saw itself being downgraded ethnic lines. They said the party could only marked with ethnical and racial lines. How- to a ‘Mini Hindustan,’ where Hindu-Mus- broaden the existing racial divide in an in- ever, Urdu-speaking people have never had lim riots were replaced by Muslim-Muslim creasingly intolerant atmo- an identity crisis as they scuffles and religious prejudice supplanted sphere and would lead the were recognised across by ethnic intolerance. Stoking the flames of educated, cultured and Ethnic riots the country for positive at- hatred to the point of open aggression, the progressive Urdu-speaking tributes, such as exquisite death of Bushra Zaidi, a 20-years old col- community to confront the erupted after mannerism, polished eti- lege student who died in a road accident powers that be, thus open- the Qasba- quette, higher education, when a speeding bus ran over her in April ing up a Pandora’s Box of enriched literary and cul- 1985, was the starting point. Subsequently, new challenges never ex- Aligarh tural backgrounds, sound ethnic riots erupted after the Qasba-Aligarh perienced by the Mohajir business acumen and Colony massacre in December 1986. community before. Colony so on. The overnight rise These events further stoked the setting The ideology of the of the MQM can be well- up of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM), MQM was also resisted on massacre in understood by the fact that claimed to be a representative party of the grounds that it clearly that even some intellectu- the Urdu-speaking community in Karachi defied the principled stance December als like Professor Hasnain and other urban centres in Sindh, as neither that led some 8 million Indi- Kazmi could not resist the the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) nor the an Muslims to opt for Paki- 1986. charm of defending the Jamaat-e-Islamic, despite having enjoyed stan as a Muslim State, an logic of adopting the Mo- electoral support of the city, tried to ad- idea that steered the largest mass migration hajir identity. dress the discrimination the Urdu-speaking in human history, marked with bloodshed, However, the MQM on its own turned population had been facing, purely on eth- rape and loss of millions of lives across the its back on the identity that had carried it nic grounds. India-Pakistan border. As it happened, In- through the spectacular popularity among Led by Altaf Hussain, a graduate of dian Muslims did not move to Pakistan in Urdu-speaking voters. The time came when Karachi University, the overnight rise of the large numbers to be later confined to ethnic the party decided to broaden its political MQM was an exception in several ways. It ghettoes, to behave like a subjugated mi- scope beyond the Mohajir identity to reach was the only political party of the country nority and to be recognised in the end as out to all the people in the country. The par- that was founded, financed, run and sup- mere Mohajirs, a popular but literally fabri- ty re-branded itself as the ‘Muttahida Qaumi ported by the middle and lower-class, with cated identity with no geographic locale or Movement,’ to acquire the façade of being no feudal landlords pulling its strings or racial backdrop. a truly national party. Interestingly, the shift capitalists calling the shots. The ideology Ask any MQM diehard supporter the from ‘Mohajir’ to ‘Muttahida’ did not have of the MQM sold like hotcakes among the reason behind his or her unrelenting love any impact on the party’s voter base, which deprived Mohajirs, in spite of the fact that of Altaf Hussain, the founder of the MQM. was still satisfied with the notion of being some sane, far-sighted people from the The answer is always the same: Altaf Hus- led by people from its own community.

24 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Cover Story

The prevailing conditions in the 80s The MQM era is to be a Frankenstein for the Urdu-speaking pushed the neglected medium and lower people and a significant number of them, middle classes of Karachi and other cities marked with stories including the business community, artists, of Sindh to form a distinct ethnic grouping of torture, bloodshed, poets and the elite, left the city lock, stock, which would give them their due rights that and barrel, mainly to escape the wrath of had been blatantly usurped as a result of militancy, target- unrestrained violence inflicted by their own the 40/60 quota-share basis and by the killing, extrajudicial people. Leaving the Promised Land earned consistently differential treatment meted murder, kidnapping by sacrificing hundreds and thousands of out to them in comparison with the sons lives, the Mohajir Diaspora is still an on- of the soil. of political opponents going phenomenon even after 72 years of In urban Sindh, the decades of the 80s, and throwing away creation of Pakistan, raising many ques- 90s and 2000s solely belonged to the MQM. their bullet-riddled tions about the wrong direction the com- It boiled down to catchphrases like “MQM munity has been following for the last 40 is Karachi and Karachi is MQM.” Beyond bodies stashed years or so. the rise and the uncontested three-decade in gunny bags. Knowing the fact that the beneficiaries rule of the MQM, however, there were many of the downfall of Karachi will always be im- an entrenched fault-lines running in the par- olute support offered to the mafia in every mune to any accountability, it is high time ty from its very beginnings that had raised election tainted the fine points of a peace- that the Urdu-speaking people look back a red flag about the misplaced direction of loving people who once stood for a person to determine the irreversible damage in- the party. like Fatima Jinnah and produced a unique flicted on them by erroneously clinging to From the beginning, the party had class of the intelligentsia, comprising schol- the Mohajir identity for decades. Unfortu- started building itself along fascist lines. ars, intellectuals, writers, poets, polemi- nately, the socio-economic deprivation that In the beginning, the MQM was mainly fo- cists, educators, architects, painters, artists pushed the Urdu-speaking populace to cused on the demand for abolishment of and so on. The after-effects of treading the succumb to confrontational politics is still the quota system and of the repatriation of path of violence became more visible when unaddressed, the abolishment of the quota stranded Pakistanis from Bangladesh. As people like Syed Sulaiman Nadvi, Maulvi system is yet a far-off dream, the repatria- time progressed, MQM started being oper- Abdul Haq, Dr. Mahmood Husain, Dr. Sal- tion of stranded Biharis from Bangladesh is ated along mafia lines. Though projecting imuzzaman Siddiqui, Dr. I. H. Usmani, Josh just another flight of fantasy and the city of the victimhood of the Mohajirs, the party Malihabadi, Kaif Banarsi and Tabish Dehlvi skyscrapers has been reduced to mounds was also actively involved in adding to the were replaced with Asif Darinda, Nasir Ch- of waste and a shattered infrastructure. miseries of the Mohajirs. ingari, Tahir Lamba, Arshad Kankatta, Fa- Four decades down the lane, the peo- Carrying an oft-trumpeted Mohajir iden- him Commando, Aslam Topi, Rehan Kana, ple of Karachi seem to have lost more than tity, the emergence of ‘the Bhai log’ culture Ubaid K2 and so on. gaining from their flawed political choice and that too at the start of the party’s po- More’s the pity, the MQM era is marked that has relegated them from a well-settled litical journey, reversed almost every posi- with stories of torture, bloodshed, militancy, community to a hoard of gypsies wander- tive attribute the Urdu-speaking community target-killing, extrajudicial murder, kidnap- ing around to find a resting place. Now it was known for. Chants of ‘jiyay mohajir’ ping of political opponents and throwing seems practically impossible to remove subdued the peaceful calmness of enlight- away their bullet-riddled bodies stashed in the entrenched fault lines rooted in a multi- ened reasoning and even people with civi- gunny bags, shutter-down strikes called al- lingual, ethnically diverse society. It would lised values were carried away by the illu- most on a weekly basis, robberies, snatch- better for the Urdu-speaking community to sion of marching en masse towards happy ing at gunpoint, kidnapping for ransom, get out of their mohajir cloak, put an end hunting grounds by fair means or foul. extortion, land grabbing in the name of Chi- to their migratory status forever and revert Thanks to the cartel of criminals nur- na-cutting, holding the entire city, including to their real identity of an enlightened, well- tured under state patronage in the guise the media houses at ransom, and the rest educated, peace-loving and progressive of political activists, those who were once of the heinous crimes the party leadership people. This time, in place of being led by a best-known for their exquisite etiquette and had pioneered for decades for its vested rabble-rouser they must look for a reformer sophistication were seen conforming to the interests. The assassination of Hakeem like Sir Syed Ahmed Khan to help them get fascist line of action that exchanged extor- Mohammad Saeed in October 1998, the back to their glory days. tionists for educationists, replaced persua- carnage of May 12, 2007, and the burning sion with coercion, substituted inherited of over 260 workers in a garment factory in The writer is a member of the mannerisms with state-granted militancy in September 2012 are some staff. He can be reached at and swapped fanaticism with tolerance. of the many examples that typify the pecu- [email protected] The rule of the blind bullet belittled the liar character the MQM had developed. phenomenon of blind injustice and the res- Most importantly, the party turned out

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 25 Region

Bonhomie of m bai

Mu Convenience Orienting state policy in favour of the corporate oligarchy is the basis of the corporate-Hindutva alliance.

By Syeda Dhanak Fatima Hashmi rule from 2014 to 2019 and have close affiliations with Modi in person. he growing bonhomie between The income inequality crisis that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak has been brought about by neo-liberal Sangh (RSS) which is the mentor capitalism collectively all over the world, Tof the ruling Bharatiya Janata has shifted incomes from the Party (BJP) and corporate bigwigs is of towards the corporate-financial oligarchy. a remarkable nature. The nexus between With the demand-contracting effects of the RSS and the leading corporate VIPs is the shift and the decline of dependent known as ‘Corporate-Hindutva alliance’. factors, Narendra Modi’s demonetisation This goodwill was made evident when the and GST policy is only compounding the Modi government had recently given the problem. What is making it worse isthe corporate sector a big relief by reducing BJP government’s solution to the prevailing corporate tax rates from 30 percent to crisis, which further shifts incomes from the 25 percent, a relief that would cost the working people to the corporates. But if the government over Rs.1.45 lakh crore. By government manages to play the Hindutva strategizing the relief programme, the hyper-nationalist card proficiently, it can BJP left the Opposition wondering. The corporate pockets, is drowned out in the succeed in diverting attention from its Congress is now unable to make up its din of hyper-nationalism celebrating the economic woes. mind whether to stick to the old discourse, “triumph” in Kashmir. Talking about the curious case of or to follow, however grudgingly, the new However, before going into details and individual growth among corporates, it is discourse of Hindutva hyper-nationalism estimates of the corporate individuals, it noted that the wealth of Mukesh Ambani which is destroying the economy of India must be noted that the total wealth of the has doubled, with an increase of 118 indirectly. top 100 richest Indian corporate heads percent during the BJP’s rule, that takes During the recent Lok Sabha elections increased by up to 31 percent between him to the top of the chart of the richest when the BJP lost ground and a peasant 2014 and 2019. The release of the richest persons in India. Furthermore, the rise of movement started due to poor reforms, people’s list is usually considered a sign Gautam Adani has been impressive as threatening power in continuation is also of triumph in the corporate world. It is he leaped from the 11th place in 2014 to witnessed. But the Pulwama incident and seen as an indication that India is moving becoming the second richest person in the fake Balakot air strike, strengthened fast economically as people are getting 2019. His association with Modi goes back the hyper-nationalist discourse again by wealthier but it is also noteworthy that such to when the latter was chief minister of giving it a renewed wave of nationalism. lists are only for a 100 people in a country Gujrat. Keeping in view Adani’s closeness As a result, the same protestors who of 1.3 billion people. Reportedly, 6 percent with Modi, his wealth has increased by had marched against the government of the country’s GDP comprised the wealth 121 percent, i.e. Rs.50.4 thousand crore in just days before the elections, voted for of just these 100 business tycoons in 2019, 2014 to a breath-taking Rs.1.1 lakh crore its continuance. Moreover, the scrapping which shows an unequal distribution of in 2019. Both Ambani and Adani have of Articles 370 and 35A, which amounts wealth. Just a small group of people have showed their support to Modi and he has to a forcible annexation of Jammu and accumulated a lot of wealth while the vast even appeared in a full-page advertisement Kashmir, also encouraged Hindutva hyper- bulk of India’s population has only a very for the launch of Jio, the Reliance telecom nationalism. Therefore, whatever opposition small fraction. Such lists also reveal another service, which has the largest subscriber one would have normally expected to side of the picture - that these corporate base in India - a prominence earned during this generous transfer of public funds to honchos have flourished more under BJP’s the BJP rule.

26 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Region

Economists are of the view that this kind of tax concession will have an adverse effect on the Indian economy hence on employment and output. Moreover, as it is understood that the government is reluctant to alienate itself from globalised finance, it will have to squeeze resources from the working people to tackle its fiscal deficit. As a result, any income-shift from the working people to the corporates, keeping other variables constant, reduces consumption demand in the economy. Keeping the doctrine of nationalism aside, Modi’s policies have only managed to produce underwhelming growth, encouraged little investment and created loss of jobs. Moreover, the BJP government has also committed serious sins of commission, the top among these being “demonetization’’or the abrupt overthrow of high-denomination currency notes in an attempt to cleanse the economy of untaxed cash, known as “black money.” By some estimates, India’s reserve bank calculated that demonetization entirely failed in its goal. The move cut India’s GDP by two percent and cost 1.5 million jobs while more than 99 percent of invalidated currency found its way into banks. India’s GDP growth has slumped to such an extent over the last five quarters that domestic and international agencies have significantly slashed their economic forecasts. Varavara Rao Sudhir Dhawale Rona Wilson It is rightly said that there is no free lunch. Corporate India doesn’t bow to anybody unless they offer some benefit. It is a heavily loaded question that why the BJP (RSS) and Silicon Corporate India are supporting each other? It is quite evident that whosoever is the political head of the country, he has to keep big business houses in good humour because it is these Valley of people who make investments, help growth and create employment. It is now evident that New Delhi this should not be at the cost of bringing agony Terrorism to the working classes. The corporate bigwigs are able to manipulate governments and India has a law that can declare anyone a terrorist. draw unreasonable benefits. This increasing In the country’s view, this is an important tool in closeness of corporate honchos to the RSS fighting terrorism. Perhaps, such a law would even is their way of extending support to the BJP make Stalin and Hitler cringe in their graves. government and have access to as much as ripe fruit as they can under Modi’s watch. By Imran Jan

The writer is a socio-political n August this year, apart from the much-talked about Indian annexation of scientist, research scholar and Kashmir, the other suicidal move the Indian government made was the a foreign and public policy amendment to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), approved by the analyst. She can be reached IRajya Sabha of the Indian parliament. The law gives unabated and unquestioned at [email protected] powers to the government of India to designate anyone as a terrorist. The Indian

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government is claiming that it is That part of the story never an essential tool to fight against makes it to the Indian media. India terrorism. This law legalises had reflexively blamed Pakistan the sharing of personal and for the attack. The ensuing weeks financial information of the person brought Pakistan and India - two designated as a terrorist with the nuclear armed nations - to the western intelligence agencies. brink of war. In a famous aerial The law empowers the National dogfight, the Pakistan Air Force Investigation Agency (NIA) of India brought down an Indian jet piloted to conduct raids anywhere prior by the IAF officer Abhinandan to the government's permission. Varthaman. He was later returned Such a draconian law would make to India with all the dignity after he even Stalin and Hitler cringe. had enjoyed Pakistani hospitality. Somebody being called Indian aggression, just like a terrorist based on a mere whim is a that follows. For example, the creation of Israeli and American aggression and any dangerous and watershed development Hezbollah is a direct result of the Israeli other aggression in the world, is only going in India’s march towards self-destruction. invasion of Lebanon, starting in 1978. to exacerbate the situation by generating That alone should trouble the Indian Israel attacked the Osirak base in Iraq, more and more terrorism. The equation is population because it is such tyrannical falsely claiming that Iraq was developing simple. Terrorism is directly proportional to powers of any government that are used nuclear weapons. The Israeli attack was aggression. To claim that India is amending more against its own citizens rather than called Operation Babylon. It was after this law (UAPA) to fight terror is either in a region that doesn’t those attacks that Saddam stupidity or sheer hypocrisy, because India belong to that country, The National started making the nukes. is creating terrorism. It is like an antivirus such as Kashmir. The The sectarian violence in software that first creates and spreads a RSS extremists are now Investigation Iraq and the creation of the certain virus infecting computers around cheering these actions in Agency (NIA) ISIS is a direct result of the the world and then sells anti-virus software, Kashmir but it wouldn’t be US invasion of Iraq in 2003. marketing it as capable of killing that very a distant day in the future of India can The bombing of the mosque virus. Perhaps, it is pertinent to mention when these tentacles will conduct raids of Samarra (Al-askari that the one industry bigger than the Indian reach home and Indian Mosque) cemented the IT industry is India being the Silicon Valley cities and towns could be anywhere sectarian rift in Iraq. These of terrorism. locked down for months in prior to the and many other examples The amended law is nothing more a row. Anyone protesting make one thing clear: than providing a legal cover to the terror would be labeled as a government's aggression is the father generating machinery that New Delhi is. This terrorist. Their fate would of terrorism. Aggression is bad news for India and the Indian people be no different than those permission. creates terrorism. Terrorism rather than for the residents of a land that is already arrested under this isn’t a product of thin air. not a part of India, namely Kashmir. Some law. Some of the notable names include India is involved in the worst kind of enlightened and well-aware Indians have Dalit rights worker Sudhir Dhawale, research aggression in Occupied Kashmir, which raised alarm over the new law but the saffron scholar Rona Wilson, Varavara Rao who is the world’s most densely militarised scarves-wearing RSS Hindutva extremists was a poet, and many others like them. zone. Close to a million Indian soldiers have subjected the Indian conscience to a Here is the funny part: India claims are deployed there against the will of the siege. This mental siege and the siege of that with the help of this law, it aims to people of Kashmir. The Pulwama attack Kashmir must end if bringing peace to the fight terrorism and that other countries that killed about 40 Indian reserve soldiers region is the aim. Otherwise, with the sort such as the United States and Israel have was made by Ahmed Dar, who had sworn of weapons that both countries have, the similar laws to deal with the menace of revenge against the Indian army because of survival of the human species is at stake. terrorism. Sure, India joins those nations in the humiliation he had faced at the hands of Now is the time for the world to ‘do more’ legislating to fight terror because, like them, the Indian army. Between September 2016 to stop Indian aggression. India is generating terrorism. And that has and March 2018, he was arrested by the been the hypocrisy of it all. It is Orwellian Indian authorities 6 times. Each time he was The writer is a political doublespeak. To claim to fight against terror beaten and released without any charge. analyst. He can be reached while actually generating it. His parents testified that he had become at [email protected] Aggression is the supreme international radicalised because of the humiliation he war crime because it involves everything had suffered during those arrests.

28 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Region A Judicial and

L ahore Political Murder Pakistan was moving confidently towards setting up a world-class kidney and liver transplant institution but bureaucratic demands took it into another direction.

By Syed Kamran Hashmi

hile at work one day, a friend texted me saying Dr. was visiting town. I Whad never met the gentleman before. Being nationally recognized and well-respected in the community, I imagined Dr. Akhtar would carry a halo of i-am-better- than-you around him, not that I had a lot of problems with that since a well-accomplished professional after decades of hard work should have been entitled to some hubris. Dr. Akhtar wanted to brief us about what happened to the Pakistan Kidney and Liver Transplant Institution (PKLI) after its case was words, his actions apt Pakistan. And that was a mistake! taken up by the Supreme Court. I assumed spoke louder For a project as big, he needed the we would sit down in a fancy restaurant for and his humility support and involvement of the government, a dinner and bash Pakistan, its institutions, far exceeded my if for nothing else, then to provide legitimacy its politicians, its systems and its people. expectations. and reassurance to the donors. At least this Contrary to this and my surprise, the venue His story was was the message he received from some turned out to be a mosque. Food and other simple: he was a reliable benefactors. complements were thus not served. To my trained urologist in Being non-political himself, it did not further disappointment, there was no bashing the United States, matter to him which government he talked either! fully licenced with Dr. Saeed Akhtar to. So, he took his project to the then Chief Not many people, maybe ten or fifteen, an honourable faculty position and an easy Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif who, after a mostly physicians, showed up. In a corner and comfortable lifestyle. But something few meetings, liked, approved and supported of the main hall, we all sat on the carpeted was pulling him back to his country. Maybe the idea. Dr. Akhtar feared if the Government floor. Quietly, Dr. Akhtar entered the mosque, it was his religion, his patriotism, or just pure of Punjab, through its bureaucracy, interfered offered his prayers and joined us. For the first and simple compassion for the people. So he in the matters of the hospital, his dream would time I heard him speak in person. He started decided to pack-up and start a new career then offend up like Jinnah Hospital in Lahore his speech in the name of God and continued in Islamabad. instead of the Massachusetts General Hospital. his discussion punctuated with Islamic Working in the Shifa Hospital and being Both afraid and cognizant of that possibility, references. My skeptic mind raced as soon involved in some philanthropic work calmed he had the CM approve complete financial, as I detected an image of sainthood being him down for a while. Nonetheless, his soul regulatory and functional independence for projected. The same old trick of pseudo-piety yearned for more. He wanted to elevate the the project. This was accomplished through was being played, I said to myself. Ergo, for quality of medicine in Pakistan which he an act of the parliament. the next two hours, I paid full attention and realized fell below any international standard, From then on, he did not have to worry looked for inaccuracies in his statements. To rich or poor. He wanted to build an equivalent about securing large donations anymore my disappointment though, I did not find any. of Harvard University, a research institution for and could spend more time in improving As he continued, I admit I had to revise my scholars and academicians. He wanted to lay the quality markers, writing policies and initial impression. His expressions matched his the foundation of the future of an intellectually introducing international standards. He could

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 29 Region

also hire foreign qualified physicians to return the ‘injustice.’ Blinded by the difference in and start working with him to train Pakistani pay, Justice Saqib Nisar took up the case doctors and help reach the same level of against Dr. Akhtar and hijacked the whole competence. He just did not know how all system. In every hearing, abuses were hurled this will be sabotaged soon by a populist at the staff, the administration and the PKLI opposition party and the judicial activism of which was still in its infancy. As a result, a a Chief Justice. mist of doubt engulfed the hospital and the In the United States, every hospital has institution which was supposed to have taken to undergo an accreditation process through off got buried under the rubble of judicial a non-profit organization called The Joint misconduct. Commission. It does not assess the medical Yet, that was not enough. It seemed the necessity of care provided to the patients by judicial hurricane had to be followed up by physicians. It looks at the technical aspects of a devastating political storm which dealt the the hospitals and their staff. If the buildings meet last blow. It was then the Opposition party of international safety guidelines, if the hallways Pakistan and is now in the government. The are wide enough to carry the patients, if there justice for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf meant are enough functional elevators available, that it saw corruption in every aspect of the if there are enough operation theatres, if previous government’s decisions, irrespective there are enough emergency exits, if fire of the evidence. For example, one day, Dr. extinguishers are present and working and so Akhtar called the current Health Minister on. Dr. Akhtar worked with the International of Punjab, Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, one of the Joint Commission to put Pakistan Kidney and Pakistani-trained physicians, to come and Liver Institute (PKLI) on the track of worldwide tour the facility. In response, she turned it recognition from day one. down. She wanted to do a surprise raid in The question he still had to navigate the middle of the night! With that mindset, through was how he could attract foreign the financial freedom was taken back and qualified physicians to come back to Pakistan. the management of the institution rolled over Physicians living in the United States earned to the Government of Punjab. The days of a decent income like he did when he worked independence were long gone. there; their children grew up in a comfortable Would it then be unfair to say that with environment, went to good schools and the current government, the hope for PKLI to followed careers of their choosing without become Harvard has almost died down? If having to worry about student loans most of the answer is no, listen to the story of Dr Amir the time. Being a part of that community, he Yar Khan, a prominent physician who returned knew their situation very well. Before PKLI, from the United States. He resigned from his only Shifa Hospital, Shaukat Khanum and the job after the controversy. Yet, his name was hired some physicians put on the exit control list, an intimidation from abroad. And each one of them were technique. There has been no allegation of provided competitive salaries - way above corruption or wrong-doing against him but he the government pay structure. He thought is threatened and warned. Why? The previous that with his independence guaranteed he administration provided him job security, an could also offer a higher rate following this administration that the current government precedence. He did not know a hurricane cannot think of having done anything right. was brewing up, waiting to lash out. After him many others will quit too, sooner The decision to hire these physicians or later. How many would venture to come under the umbrella of the Punjab Government again? None. The future of PKLI is being the made the Pakistani doctors furious. They felt next Jinnah Hospital of Lahore, not anything as if they were being treated as second- else. grade citizens in their own country and their own department was discriminating The writer is a US- against their talent and hard-work. The based freelance former Chief Justice’s brother happened to columnist. He can be be a government-employed physician who reached at skamranhashmi@ reportedly complained to his brother about gmail.com

30 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Region d

aba Dharna Questions

m Politics in Pakistan seems to have entered into a new era of dharna (sit-in) tactics. sla I

By S.M. Hali

aulana Fazlur Rehman’s much touted Azadi (Freedom) March morphed into a Dharna (sit-in) Mafter reaching the outskirts of Islamabad, traversing from Karachi via Multan and Lahore. On November 10, which was also Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the Maulana converted the sit-in into a Seerat Conference to pay homage to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) but refused to disperse. So far, he has kept his cards close to his chest besides saying he would bring the house of Imran Khan down. The other political parties jumped on the Maulana’s bandwagon to serve their own interests but refused to be parties to the sit-in. They refused to storm the citadel or engage in any undemocratic means of removing the government. Apparently, the two major political Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, which was eventually withdrew from Afghanistan and parties the PML (N) and the PPP, whose top founded in 1919 by a group of Deobandi Deoband became the religious base for much leaderships were incarcerated on corruption scholars, was an active participant in the of the Taliban movement that ruled Afghanistan charges claimed their pound of flesh. Why did Khilafat Movement in collaboration with the until 2001. Many Taliban leaders and fighters, the Maulana, rooted in contradictions, choose Indian National Congress but it opposed including its founder Mullah Omar, studied this time to launch his protest? The answer the partition of India, taking the position that in Deobandi seminaries, many of which perhaps lies in the history of his organization Muslims left behind in India will be weakened. were also influenced by Wahhabism due to and its past record. The position hasn’t changed since the Jamiat- Saudi funding. Even Hakimullah Mehsud, the The Deobandi school of Islam was founded e-Ulema-e-Hind has welcomed the August commander of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in the latter half of the 19th century in the 5 annexation of Kashmir and considers the (TTP), studied at a Deobandi seminary in aftermath of the 1857 War of Independence issue to be an internal matter of India. Hangu District of North-West Frontier, now against the British. As part of the clampdown, The 1947 separation caused the migration (KP). TTP wreaked the British had occupied religious sites in Delhi, of many leading Deobandi scholars to havoc in Pakistan following the Lal Masjid the capital of the Mughal Empire, for several Pakistan. This included Mufti Mahmood, the debacle in 2007. centuries. This caused many ulema (religious father of Maulana Fazlur-Rehman, the current In this backdrop, Maulana Fazlur Rahman clerics) to migrate to various locations, such president of a faction of Jamiat-i-Ulama-i- began his political career as the secretary as the northern Indian town of Deoband, Islam (JUI). Moreover, Mufti Mahmood, an general of JUI in 1980 at the age of 27 after to preserve their religious life and culture. In ethnic Pashtun, became the chief minister the death of his father Mufti Mahmud who 1867, Darul Uloom was founded in the town of of Pakistan’s North-West Frontier in 1972 for was the JUI leader before his death. In the Deoband as one of the first major seminaries nine months although he is reputed to have mid-1980s, the JUI split into two factions – to impart training in Deobandi Islam. It is an stated that mercifully he was not part of the the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S) led by Maulana interesting fact that the town of Deoband sin of the creation of Pakistan. Samiul Haq and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) led itself is located in Saharanpur district of Uttar The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, who maintained Pradesh, where form 62.7% of the led to te playing a major role in his contacts with the Taliban and ran with the total population. Moreover, during the initial the Afghan jihad and a large number of hare while hunting with the hounds. period of Darul Uloom’s establishment, the these fighters were drawn from Deobandi Maulana Fazal ur Rehman was elected Hindus reportedly contributed to its operating seminaries, which received considerable as a member of the National Assembly of expenses. CIA and Saudi funding. The Soviet Union Pakistan in 1988 general elections from

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D.I. Khan for the first time and was generally a

member of the parliament until 2018. According d to WikiLeaks, the Maulana had expressed the Filer or desire to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan aba to Ann Patterson, US Ambassador to Pakistan, at m a private dinner in 2007. He has been leader of the Non-Filer? opposition in the Parliament and has enjoyed the sla status of a federal minister and was head of the I Despite the fact that exorbitant tax is levied Kashmir Committee under various governments. on everything, why are the people as a whole He was also an unsuccessful candidate for the referred to as tax defaulters? position of President of Pakistan in 2018. As for his Dharna, the jury is still out on the By Sehrish Fatima Maulana’s rationale for staging it in the first place. It has been known from the very beginning that the dharna would not extract the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan so what was Fazlur Rahman trying to achieve? Relevance – as he has not been able to digest being out of the Parliament and not heading the powerful Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir. There are sinister conspiracy theories that are suggesting that certain enemies of Pakistan are supporting the Maulana. It is true that the focus on the Kashmir issue has been diluted. The Maulana set out on his “Freedom March” on the “Kashmir Black Day”. The day the march reached Islamabad, India formally issued a notification detailing the boundaries of the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, and also released a new political map of India. Narendra Modi had the temerity to depict Gilgit-Baltistan as a part of Ladakh in the new map, and the whole of Kashmir, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) as Jammu ll over the world, to run the government and for the accomplishment of and Kashmir Union Territory. development projects, taxes are collected from the public. For tax collection in There were also visuals of the Taliban flag Pakistan, there is a formal organization called the Federal Board of Revenue being part of the Maulana’s March. There have A(FBR); its primary function is to legally collect taxes from the public according been threats to the military too – veiled and to their monthly and annual income and deposit it into the national treasury. It has been unveiled. Till the writing of this article, the sit-in observed that the government is always lamenting about scarcity of resources whenever was continuing because the Maulana had refused there is talk about projects and matters pertaining to public welfare and prosperity. There is to call it a day till somebody important requested a general perception that tax evasion is a common practice that leads to the government him to pack his bags. He was continuing with treasury remaining empty and not being able to meet the deficit. Loans are taken from the dharna despite the fact that poor madrassah national and international banks and financial institutions on their prescribed terms and students who were participating in the sit-in were conditions because there is no other choice. Seven decades have passed since the freezing in Islamabad’s cold and rain – while the founding of Pakistan and many governments have come and gone. Many politicians have Maulana and his top cohorts slept in a cozy house claimed that they will break the shackles and people will get relief. But as soon as they in the city. come to power, they start grumbling that the people do not pay taxes. Is tax really evaded by the masses? Where does the money go of people who pay The writer is a practising taxes? Despite payment of different taxes listed, the complaint persists that tax is not journalist. He contributes to paid. the print media, conducts Income Tax, wealth tax, withholding tax, sales tax, professional tax, general sales a TV show and produces tax, property tax, building tax, mobile phone tax, custom duties, service tax, excise tax, documentaries. He can reached motor vehicle tax, agriculture tax, corporation tax, metropolitan tax, Hajj tax, Umrah at [email protected] tax, toll tax, tax on banks’ profit, tax on profit of saving schemes, etc. - innumerable

32 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Region

taxes are collected all the time. The question imposed on every individual irrespective be immediately expelled. The government still remains that where does all this tax go as of their income or profits. In Pakistan, tax should do whatever it takes to prevent tax the people are continue to be deprived of the revenue collected through indirect tax is evasion and make accountability very rigid. basic amenities of life? 75% while that collected from direct taxes If this does not happen, tax evasion will In the past, we have seen ‘National is only 25%. The rate of indirect taxation is continue unabated and those who are wise, Savings’ advertisement, with the claim, “the 60% while that of direct taxation is 40%. This smart, and clever will continue to reap the money which we save is beneficial for the creates a huge economic anomaly. If indirect benefits of tax refunds. country”. It can now be said that the tax paid taxes increase, it means the poor are forced Economies generally keep indirect is used for corruption. In recent times, a new to pay more tax than the rich class. taxes at a low level while direct taxes are terminology has come to the fore - filer and The common man rightly asks as to high so that the rich people pay more non-filer. Filer is a taxpayer who is registered where does the tax go which he has paid taxes and there is less burden on the poor. with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The over the past years? The poor people have Pakistan follows a regressive tax system. rest of the nation is a tax defaulter in spite no interest in who is in jail, who is incarcerated The government needs to bring in a tax of paying taxes, although there is nothing on and who has escaped? Would the person system that ensures impartiality. It should which tax is not paid directly or indirectly - whose children are starving be worried about reduce the wealth gap between the rich and from match boxes to plane tickets. The poor their two-time meals or billions and trillions of poor. Though the overall number of direct non-filer doesn’t even know if he is in the tax dollars of corruption? Tax evasion does occur, taxpayers is on the low side, people still find net or not. According to one estimate, the but it is not done by the poor people. It is out ways to evade tax payment. Even then, common man is being called a non-filer or done by the big businessmen, entrepreneurs, the billions of rupees that are collected from tax defaulter even though he pays indirect industrialists, chaudhries, vaderas, etc. the poor through indirect taxes need to be taxes of 17% on total income which includes Inflation does not matter to them. Their spent on health, education and the security General Sales Tax (GST), Central Excise Duty children drink mineral water, attend the best of underprivileged citizen. (CED) and custom duty. Surprisingly, more of schools and go abroad for holidays and this contribution is made by the poor class; higher education. They consider this country The writer is associated with the National the rich only pay 10% of their income through only a real estate of their ancestors. Financial Literacy Program indirect tax. People are afraid of paying taxes for Youth at the National Two types of taxes are levied - direct tax because it has never been used for their Institute of Banking and and indirect tax. Direct taxes are collected on welfare. It is important that the black sheep Finance, Islamabad. She income or profits of the person or corporation in the FBR be held accountable for harming can be reached at sehrish. earned in a year while indirect taxes are the organization and the nation. They should [email protected] Carry Trade

Karachi Destination The future demands that Pakistan should emerge as a growth engine in the region.

By Sikander Taimoor

200 million population, abundant natural resources, fertile land and a sea port that is the most Aviable route into Asia, are the correct elements for a country to prosper economically. Unfortunately, over the last 30 years, issues such as insincere leadership, corruption, export stagnation, security concerns and energy deficit have stopped Pakistan from embarking on such a journey. From where Pakistan stands now, driving it out of a 30-year debacle from an economic

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 33 Region

development standpoint requires careful maneuvering of economic policies, which need to be in line with the changing global macro trends. These should be the basis of the foundation of the country’s direction in its forward march. The developed world has reached stag- nation in economic growth and it is time for more capital to flow into the region. Paki- stan needs to be prepared for a period of changing trade alliances. If past blunders are set aside and the country’s leadership understands and works towards what the future holds, it can become an Asian Tiger by 2030. Whether Pakistan will actualize and capitalize on this corridor of opportunity is a question that cannot be answered with con- viction at this stage. To understand the complications that occur in answering the question, it is to be Bank opt for such a measure? The answer not be overlooked when creating carry trade seen how Pakistan’s economy is placed at is that the country is being developed for circumstances in a country where the eco- the moment vis-a-vis. certain basic indica- ‘carry trade.’ Carry trade is defined as the nomic indicators suggest fragility. tors. The country’s current account deficit is flow of capital from an economy with low in- To avoid the adverse effects of carry a negative 1,548 million USD per month, the terest rates to a higher interest region, when trade, capital in Pakistan will need a reason balance of trade is a negative 310,000 mil- the central bank lending rates have touched to start within Pakistan’s borders. It must be lion USD per month, the GDP growth rate is their peak and a decline in that trajectory is seen whether there is a better return, as in currently above 5 percent, inflation is 12.55 about to be initiated to book capital gains the case of India, a country that developed and the GDP-to-debt ratio is around the 70 on the amount invested. This was confirmed strong growth foundations. Given where percent mark. Foreign direct investment av- by the influx of 200 million into bond funds Pakistan stands, the question is whether erages around 150 million USD, after decline recently and a decrease in the policy rate by steps are being taken to lay down the foun- to a negative 200 million at the start of 2019. the State Bank followed. dations of growth and the country is shap- Given the amount of debt the country is ac- Whether this measure was in line with ing itself according to the changing trading cumulating on a month-on-month basis, Pakistan’s growth objective was a ques- alliances and blocs. The future demands these numbers indicate fragility and a need tion that needed to be asked. The inflow Pakistan to place itself as a growth engine for rapid economic development. of money would exit the country when the in the region. It must ask itself whether it is What needs to be determined is whether capital gains were booked, initiating a selloff headed in the opposite direction and is be- the government’s policies and steps are in in PKR and resulting in further devaluation ing used as a trade route without reaping line with what is required at this stage. As of the currency, making the economy vulner- the accompanying benefits. To emphasize part of its efforts to attract capital, starting able to currency risk. This would contribute on the sensitivity of where Pakistan stands, 2018, the State Bank of Pakistan began to compromising investor confidence. At the it would be appropriate to conclude with a to raise interest rates at an unprecedented same time, where economic activity slows, recent development in Africa. China is now pace and took the benchmark to 14.5%. capital investment is discouraged. Given all set to control Kenya’s strategic port as the Economic theory says that such contraction- the amount of debt being accumulated on country has defaulted on its loan payments. oriented policy measures should be execut- monthly basis, this could be a step that could Pakistan considers CPEC and China as its ed in a heating economy with rapid growth have adverse effects if simultaneous growth saviours., As a nation, will Pakistan utilize the to control demand-led inflation, which is not efforts are not made before the State Bank opportunity it has been given? the case in the current circumstances since begins decreasing these interest rates. The The inflation witnessed is mainly due to the capital gain on the inflow into bonds reach The writer is a fundamental and technical excessive currency printing done to meet a peak and the money that enters begins to analyst on gold and the current account deficit. This has resulted leave a situation that very easily leads to fur- dollar, with an academic in devaluation of the purchasing power of ther deterioration. An example is Argentina. background in international the Pakistani rupee. It is not a compulsion that Pakistan should business, He can be Such an insight gives birth to a thought- face the same consequences as Argentina, reached at sikander. provoking question: why would the State but this is most certainly a scenario that can- [email protected]

34 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Region Future Uncertain From Kartarpur to Kashmir, relations between Pakistan and India are in a deep mix of confusion. The sooner Pakistan comes out

Kartarpur of its pipedream, the better.

By Dr. Moonis Ahmar Minister Imran Khan for opening the Corridor. of Pakistan, it would have not been possible Can Pakistan Prime Minister hope, for India to send its forces into the Valley of n November 9, the Kartarpur which he expressed in his inaugural speech Kashmir and sign the so-called instrument of Corridor was opened on the whil opening the Kartarpur Corridor, be trans- accession with Maharaja Hari Singh of J&K. occasion of 550th birth anniversary formed into reality or will it be justwishful think- If the euphoria of the Kartarpur Corridor Oof the founder of the Sikh religion ing to expect India take a backfoot onits Kash- is termed as a ‘honeymoon’ period between - Baba Guru Nanak. Located inside Pakistan, mir policy – something which it introduced Punjabi and Pakistani Punjab, it is cer- the Kartarpur shrine is the second holiest place under its ‘Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization tainly not in favour of Muslim Kashmiris who for Sikhs and it is expected that daily 5,000 Act” of August 5, 2019? are experiencing the worst kind of brutal Indian Sikh pilgrims will visit the holy shrine every From Kartarpur to Kashmir is a phenome- occupation and ethnic cleansing. Second, day. The Corridor was inaugurated by Prime non which needs to be understood from three the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor will not Minister Imran Khan; the ceremony was also sides. First, one should not undermine the fact lead to Sikh antagonism against the Indian attended by former Indian Prime Minister Dr. that the Indian side of Kartarpur is located in state and deepen New Delhi’s vulnerability in Manmohan Singh, former Indian Test cricketer Gurdaspur district of East Punjab which is the the Muslim-dominated Valley of Kashmir. It is Navjot Singh Sidhu and actor Sunny Deol. root cause of the Kashmir conflict. In August wishful thinking on the part of Pakistan’s se- From any account, giving Visa free access 1947, when the Indian sub-continent was be- curity and military establishment that creating to Sikh pilgrims on the opening day to their ing partitioned on religious grounds, Gurdaspur goodwill among Sikhs by opening the Kartar- second holiest place tends to open a new as a Muslim majority territory and should have pur Corridor and pampering them will neutral- chapter in augmenting Sikh-Pakistan relations been given to Pakistan, but Lord Mountbatten, ize the Indian Punjab in the event of any future but with an uncertain future and reservations. the last Viceroy of India, after conspiring with Indo-Pakistan armed conflict on Jammu & How the opening of Kartarpur Corridor Congress leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Kashmir. will impact Indo-Pak relations and can the awarded that piece of land to India which pro- Ostensibly, the impression which one gets world’s140 million Sikh community be lured vided land access to Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). is the Sikh soft corner for the Kashmiri resis- to be supportive of Pakistan? If Kashmir is Had Gurdaspur been given to Pakistan, J&K tance against Indian occupation after the re- the missing ‘K’ for Pakistan, for some Sikhs, as a Muslim majority princely state would have vocation of articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Khalistan is their missing ‘K.’ Prime Minister been its part. In 1947, the Sikh community constitution which ended special status given Imran Khan, during his inaugural speech while sided with India and played a pivotal role in to J&K. But the reality on the ground is different opening the Kartarpur Corridor, linked the ush- massacring and raping the Muslim community because, despite the launching of ‘Operation ering in of a new era for the Sikh community in East Punjab. Had the Sikhs not played such Blue Star’ by the Indian Army to flush out the and hoped the Kashmir dispute will aso find a notorious role in hurting the nascent state Sikhs’ holy shrine, the golden temple in Am- a solution, when he said: “Time is ritsar, from what New Delhi alleged not far away when the Kashmiris as the bastion of Sikh armed mili- will get their due rights, enmities tancy, the Sikhs in India are the most will die down and prosperity will privileged community. Demographi- dawn across the sub-continent.” cally, Sikhs are less than 2% of the While urging the Indian Prime Min- Indian population but their share in ister Narendra Modi to grant justice the military is more than 15%, along to the Kashmiris so that all peoples with their representation in bureau- across the sub-continent could live cracy. The Sikh community is also in peace, he hoped “peaceful rela- influential in transport and business tions and trade between our two in almost all Indian cities. In this sce- countries can bring prosperity to the nario, why would Sikhs be disloyal to entire region.” On the other side of India; aspire an independent state of the Corridor, the Indian Prime Min- Khalistan and support the Kashmiri ister expressed hope for better ties movement for emancipation when with Pakistan and thanked Prime they are better off in India?

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 35 Region

Third, Kartarpur to Kashmir can only be sures and the Indian Supreme Court which, the part of Pakistan that the opening of Kar- possible if the Indian state becomes weak, since August till now is lingering on petitions tarpur Corridor will exert pressure over India in leading to the rise of centrifugal forces ulti- which have been challenging the August 5 Act its controlled parts of Jammu and Kashmir, will mately causing the disintegration of India. But, of the Indian Government, is also not expected not work. despite the erosion of democracy, political plu- to undo the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Reorganiza- As things stand today, unless Pakistan ralism and secularism in India today, there are tion Act.” puts its own house in order; focus on strength- no such indications which can prove fragility of It is high time the state of Pakistan aban- ening its fragile economy, ensure good gover- the Indian state. To the contrary, the decision dons its unrealistic and imprudent policies nance and the rule of law, expecting miracles of the Indian Supreme Court on November 9 concerning Kashmir and Khalistan. How India to happen and wresting Kashmir from Indian allowing the construction of a Hindu temple on since 1947 till today has expanded its geogra- control would be nothing less than a pipe the venue where once stood Babri Mosque in phy by occupying Hyderabad, Junagarh, large dream. Likewise, to expect that by opening Ayodhya, is a stark reality which emphasizes parts of J&K and Siachen, must be sufficient the Kartarpur Corridor, the Sikh community will that even the superior judiciary is not taking a for bringing home to Pakistan its moment of tilt in favour of Pakistan and again launch the position on merit to avoid antagonizing Hindu truth. After August 5 and October 31, 2019, struggle for Khalistan as it did in the 1980s, is nationalists. despite the wrongness of the Indian act to ab- far from the reality. Is the tragedy of Kashmir Furthermore, on October 31, the ‘Jammu sorb J&K, it seems highly unlikely for Pakistan by permanently going under Indian control not & Kashmir Reorganization Act’ which was to force India relinquish its control over the enough that Pakistan should keep on pursu- passed by the Indian Parliament on August Muslim dominated Valley of Kashmir because ing misplaced policies and options which can 5, came into force. It means, ending special of two main reasons. First, the lack of effective only deepen its internal and external predica- status of Kashmir, which was granted in Article international support for Pakistan’s Kashmir ment? 370 of the Indian constitution and Article 35-A policy, particularly in the United Nations and which protected the identity of the Kashmiris second, despite its downward trend, the In- The writer is Meritorious Professor of by denying Indian nationals purchase of prop- dian economy is still vibrant and ranks the 6th International Relations and erty and casting of votes in the J&K state as- largest in the world. There is also a possibility former Dean Faculty of sembly elections. This is now accepted as a that, in the near future, India will overtake Brit- Social Sciences, University of hard reality. There is no indication on the part ain as the world’s fifth largest economy. Karachi. He can be reached of the Indian state to rethink its August 5 mea- With these facts, the wishful thinking on at [email protected] A Continuing

Kabul Enigma A ceasefire does not make any military sense when the Taliban control the operational tempo in Afghanistan.

By Major General (r) Inam Ul Haque

S Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad visited Islamabad on October 28 and U29, 2019 after visiting Kabul and Moscow. He met Prime Minister Imran Khan and Army Chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa. As per the US Embassy in Islamabad, he ‘discussed the current status of the Afghan peace process and the importance of reducing violence’. Pakistan repeated the offer of ‘all-out help’ to revive the ‘Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process’. Beijing on the same dates was to host an intra- Afghan dialogue including representatives of

36 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Region

all parties attending in ‘personal capacity’. to hold fire once the parleys began in Qatar - given the scope and span of the conflict The European Union has also called upon almost a year ago. Both sides had tacitly as- and the stakes of all sides involved - makes all sides to ‘carry forward the idea of sumed a ‘fighting and talking’ strategy. The outside arbitration mandatory as the inherent ceasefire.’ After the recent Afghan elections, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo proudly CRM does not have the capacity to deal with a more confident Mr. Hamdullah Mohib, and openly took credit for killing more Tali- the magnitude of the problem, without being security advisor to the Afghan President, ban, immediately after the tweet by President nurtured to its earlier effect in a long-drawn has mentioned a month-long ceasefire as a Trump, which dashed the hopes for peace. process - which nobody can afford. Howev- ‘precondition’ for talks with the Taliban. Fourth, Taliban rank and file are likely to er, outside powers have their own interests. There are proposals for a ceasefire for a vocally disagree to any ceasefire, where they To put it candidly, in the zero-sum Afghan ‘limited period only’. Another proposal by the don’t have a significant, immediate and vis- game, Pakistan’s win, for example, is India’s US and Pakistan is to declare ceasefire by ible advantage. This may cause internal fis- loss. A win for the Taliban is a loss for the US/ all sides (Taliban, US, Afghan security forc- sures and ultimate divisions of the Taliban Afghan Government and so on. es) ‘once the intra-Afghan dialogue starts’. Movement. They fear that most of these Whereas the preferred rule for all sides China will host the intra-Afghan dialogue as disenfranchised Taliban would cross over to is a ‘hands-off’ policy, it is not environmen- and when there is an ‘understanding’ on the the Daish/ ISIS/IS swelling their ranks and tally possible. Peace, therefore, would re- ceasefire. Islamabad considers ‘ceasefire making it difficult for the Movement to secure main elusive till the time the decision is made and reduction in violence necessary’ for an Afghanistan subsequently, as and when a either militarily on the ground or through a environment conducive to any peace deal. peace settlement takes place. Despite a rigid negotiated settlement on the table. With the Hence the centrality of the elusive ‘ceasefire,’ chain of command emphasizing obedience, US, the Afghan Government and the Taliban besides the less contentious prisoner swap. the Taliban Movement is not a conventional trying both options simultaneously, things There has been no word from the Tali- military force and their leadership is very sen- may end up in more violence and no peace ban to commit to a ceasefire in any formu- sitive to the pulse of their rank and file. Fifth, anytime soon. Given the imperatives of the lation. However, the possibility of ceasefire from a sociological perspective, the mid-level Taliban situation, the US and Afghan Govern- - from the Taliban standpoint - was contin- and ranking Taliban field commanders are ment need to relent on the ceasefire, sign the gent upon signing the peace deal by the US more radicalized, as they are the product of peace deal, start an intra-Afghan dialogue and complete withdrawal of foreign forces a violence-laden environment over genera- and work to reduce the level of violence from Afghanistan in the stipulated time of tions and hence not very amenable to flex- alongside the Taliban, ultimately resulting in 15 months. The peace would dilate upon ible positions. a ceasefire. The US Deep State needs to the intractability of the ceasefire and conflict In looking for a way forward from this im- understand that domestically within the US, resolution, besides some policy recommen- passe, one is drawn to the traditional Afghan support for the Afghan war is significantly dations for Islamabad. ‘Conflict Resolution Mechanism (CRM)’. low and dwindling. And if Syria is any guide, First, the intractability of ceasefire. The Anthropologically, Afghanistan - like all tribal Trump - true to his character - can precipi- Taliban Movement mainly comprises con- societies - had a very resolute CRM, moored tate a withdrawal anytime, leaving a volatile tractual, seasonal, and volunteer manpower in a strong social system – the Pukhtunwali mix of Taliban, IS and Afghan forces in a mad with only a core forming the salaried cadre. or Pashtunwali and its variants in the Hazara rush to grab power. The essence and lifeline of the Movement re- highlands and other areas of non-Pashtun Islamabad still has significant clout with mains in maintaining the combat tempo and habitation. This comprises the institution of the Taliban and needs to seize opportunities retaining what is called, ‘combat relevance’. Jirgah, the notion of nanewatee (going to the on the wing of challenges. The Pakistan For- Continuation of violence is the bonding in doorstep of the aggrieved); the tradition of eign Office, in adopting a ‘whole of the Gov- such movements. A ceasefire - without any mashar and kashar (respect for the decisions ernment’ approach, needs to work alongside formal and enforceable agreement - is likely of elders by the younger); and the institution Mr. Khalilzad with the Departments of State, to result in demobilization of the majority of of spin-geeray (the white-bearded elderly Defence and CIA, remaining cognizant of the the Taliban cadre. If they retreat to their vil- cadre). domestic politics within the US (impeach- lages, it would be well-nigh impossible to However, this traditional CRM operates ment) and Afghan Government. Appoint- mobilize and bring them back to the field. optimally in the absence of outside interfer- ment of expert(s) as special representative(s) The Taliban also understand this. ence for or against the parties in the conflict. for Afghan Reconciliation - with due authority Second, agreeing to a ceasefire does That sadly is not the case. The CRM today - would help bring the requisite energy and not make any military sense when the Taliban stands badly bruised because of the greater synergy to the cause of Afghan peace. control the operational tempo in Afghanistan. sociological changes in Afghanistan due to They are ascendant as per recurrent media emigration and migration and the near per- The writer has an interest reports; they control the countryside pre- petuity of violence and disruptions. The tra- in International Relations dominantly; they operate in highly protected ditional Afghan elite and nobility stands re- and Political Sociology. cities with impunity and they also dominate placed by a newer, younger and moneyed He can be reached at the night. Third, there has never been any power elite, albeit with limited ability to gen- [email protected] implicit understanding between both sides erate and sustain consensus. This situation

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 37 Region

Power to the

C olo m bo President With the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as Sri Lanka’s new president, political culture in the country is in for a change. He is committed to upholding all the promises he made to the public.

waged for more than three decades and left of leading death squads that abducted and By Atif Shamim Syed thousands dead. killed dozens of Tamils during the final days he 8th presidential election in Sri Retired lieutenant-colonel, Gotabaya of the war. Lanka held on November 16, 2019 Rajapaksa is a member of the powerful Ra- After the terrorist attack in Sri Lanka on was a very closely fought battle japaksa clan, and brother of Mahinda Ra- April 21 that claimed 269 lives, Gotabaya Ra- Tbetween Sajith Premadasa – the japaksa who ruled Sri Lanka from 2005 to japaksa turned his guns towards another mi- candidate from the ruling party, and Gotabaya 2015 as president. Gotabaya Rajapaksa was nority – Muslims. During the recent elections Rajapaksa – a member of the powerful said to be representing his clan in these polls campaign, he presented himself as a strong- political family that ruled the country with an because the law does not permit Mahinda man who will stand up to Muslim extremism iron first for more than a decade. Rajapaksa to contest presidential elections and fight corruption at all levels. Sinhalese Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the election by for a third time. Buddhists enthusiastically rallied behind securing 52.25% of the vote. His victory was Gotabaya Rajapaksa played a pivotal role Gotabaya hoping that he will rein in minor- formally announced by the election commis- in crushing the Tamil rebellion in 2009 during ity Muslims within the country who make up sion. Sajith Premadasa – the son of a former the tenure of his brother Mahinda. Thousands around 10% of the population. president slain by Tamil separatists in 1993 of Tamils perished during the final days of the There is apprehension within the politi- - admitted his defeat. government offensive, including innocent ci- cal circles that Gotabaya will try to repeal a The elections already noted as highly vilians. This widespread bloodshed finally put constitutional amendment that curbed some divisive, were marred with violence from the an end to the devastating civil war. of the president’s powers and handed them very beginning. Only a few hours before the Gotabaya is revered by Sri Lanka’s Sin- over to the parliament. If the 19th amendment start of polling, unidentified gunmen fired on halese majority for his role in extinguishing the is repealed, it will pave the way for a major- a convoy of Muslim voters. The same convoy LTTE flame, but he is equally hated by minor- ity authoritative regime in the country that will was attacked by unknown attackers pelting ity Tamils who make up around 15% of the further aggravate the grievances of already stones. The election commission received re- population. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is accused disenchanted minorities. ports from the Tamil-majority The Tamil minority of Sri north of the country where Lanka is mostly settled in illegal checkpoints were the north of the country. set up in order to prevent They are apprehensive of voters from reaching poll- another Rajapaska from ing stations. the powerful clan, taking Muslims and Tamils the reins of the country are minorities in Sri Lanka. again. They turned out in Both of them do not favour large numbers during the Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The elections, enabling Sajith violence incidents may Premadasa to sweep the have been engineered to northern region. Yet, the instill fear into the two com- Tamil vote had little im- munities and thus, lower pact on the overall election their election participation. result. This could further Such election tactics are polarize an already divided widespread in Sri Lanka country because Tamils which only emerged from will come to realize that the a devastating civil war that Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa with Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. democratic process will

38 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 [email protected] Karachi. He can be reached at an investment banker based in The writerisafree-lancerand his Chinesefriends. respondcarefulbeing while them to annoy to not and developments recent the see will Rajapaksa now remains to be seen how President It Gotabaya fact. this of acknowledgement an may been victory have election his on Rajapaksa tabaya pacify Tamils onbothsidesoftheborder. together for development in the region in order to work to countries both of interest best the in is It area is closely linked with India’s Tamil The Nadu state. seat. single a gain to failed he where North Tamilthe minoritiesin withdealing while help its need will president Lankan Sri new the that fact willnotlikeatall. government Modi the that something – Lanka in- Sri in will crease influence Chinese the that means This pro-Chinese. already is country.Gotabaya the in influence their curb to unable was Chinese, the with odds at being despite government, former the useofdisproportionate force. tionathis role incrushing the Tamil rebellion with relationship withtheUSsincelatter’s indigna- spiteful rather a given obvious, is China towards tilt his However, struggle. power regional the in pawn a become country his let not will he that him whenhewasleadingtheopposition. stated that New Delhi he had year, refused last to engage interview with an In agents. its through havingLankanmanipulatedelectionsSrilast the five days. for there remained and harbour Colombo tered en- vessels Chinese two return, his after week a Only threats. these to heed pay didn’t Gotabaya Colombo. enter to warships Chinese allow not Gotabayaandimpressed uponhimthatthey will an official visit, Indian politicians tried to lean-in on during 2014, In caution.great with Lanka Sri in region inthelongrun. the within rebellionwidespread even and friction, the South. This could become a reason for further from Sinhalese majority the favouring be always ois meit tet ogauaig Go- congratulating tweet immediate Modi’s the in solace some find can India However, The China. to indebted heavily is Lanka Sri stated Gotabaya October, in rally a During of India accused repeatedly has Gotabaya developments political the watching is India

I By T stronger ties with its neighbour. At this critical juncture, stronger diplomatic channels India’sfor rebuildto intention morerecognitionan has with constitution do the to of quest his document, legal the accept to dissidents repeatedlyasked and platforms viewed asadesperatepleaforacceptance. from India’srecognition ruling elite on what should be perceived as a domestic issue cannot be formal seek to attempts Oli’s KP However, future. the in protectorate Indian an become could and India from validation seeking is Nepal that suggests into force in 2015. If this development is viewed through a narrow lens, it categorically Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to recognize Nepal’s constitution, which came with Baluatar in residence his at AffairsIndian External MinisterSJaishankaronAugust21,2019. meeting private a held Oli Sharma KP Minister Kathmandu altogether absurd. As per the insights put forward in the article, Nepal’sPrime article, the norin forward put conjecture insights the on per As absurd. based altogether neither is question this by, go to anything is Nepal Telegraph in published – 2019) 27, (August Slaves?’ Indian leaders Nepali ‘Are s Nepal seeking India’s approval for its domestic affairs? If a scathing piece – titled Though the Nepalese prime minister has defended the constitution on various on constitution the defended has minister prime Nepalese the Though urge to Jaishankar asked premier Nepalese the meeting, two-hour the During Meddl aha Kehar India maybehavelikeNepal’s BigBrother but, in essence,there ismuchmore torelations Neighbour External AffairsMinister ofIndiaSJaishankarandNepaliPrime MinisterKPOli. between thetwoneighbours. E so SOUTHASIA m • December 2019 Region e 39 Region

with India will enable Nepal to put an end While skeptics in Nepal have argued that and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)’s to the challenges and hostilities that have India’s decision to send Jaishankar to military drills in Pune. Analysts believed that weakened bilateral relations between both extend an olive branch reflects bad optics, the decision was prodded by New Delhi’s countries over the last four years. the messenger shouldn’t be seen as more ambition to project BIMSTEC as a viable Conventional wisdom would have us important than the message that India has substitute to SAARC. As the founding believe that Nepal’s ties with India are rooted delivered to Nepal. member of SAARC, Nepal has repeatedly in strong historical, cultural and economic It is in Nepal’s best interest to accept maintained that it has a duty to convene the linkages. However, India’s growing proclivity India’s diplomatic overtures and strengthen 19th SAARC summit to revive the regional to intervene in Nepal’s domestic matters has its ties with the country. Under these body. However, India is reportedly not in hampered the existing dynamics between the circumstances, efforts to revive bilateral favour of a SAARC summit being held in the neighbouring states. Since 2015, tensions relations should not be misconstrued as prevailing regional atmosphere. have surfaced following India’s attempt to attempts to weaken Nepal’s national fabric. In addition, Nepal’s burgeoning ties with pressure Nepal’s power elite into revising its Unfortunately, the Telegraph Nepal both China and the US could adversely much-awaited, secular constitution. article does just that. It condemns Nepal’s impact its relations with India if suitable steps While preparations to promulgate the ruling elite as “enemies of [a sovereign and aren’t taken to garner support from Indian constitution were in its final stages, India independent Nepal” for their “aberrations in leaders. As the country strives to maintain sent Jaishankar, who was then the foreign [the] diplomatic domain” that have reduced a delicate balance between adopting the secretary, to Kathmandu to deliberate with Nepalese leaders to “mere servants of the vision of China’s Belt and Road Initiative senior Nepalese leaders over the protests by Indian union”. The opinion piece fails to (BRI) and the US Free and Open Indo- Madhesi groups that were dissatisfied with put KP Oli’s private meeting with the Indian Pacific (FOIP) strategy, it must ensure that the new constitutional arrangement. India’s external affairs minister in the right historical India is on its side. Over the years, India has meddlesome tactics were skilfully disguised and geopolitical context and simply cites it expressed displeasure over China’s attempts as the looming fear that the protests that as an example of a diplomatic move that to invest in infrastructural projects in South had erupted in southern Nepal could fuel undermines Nepal’s national interests. Asian countries and could potentially create chaos in the bordering Indian states. In a If recent developments are taken into difficulties for Nepal. In a similar vein, there nutshell, the erstwhile foreign secretary’s consideration, this comes through as a is a strong likelihood that Kathmandu visit was geared towards persuading rather simplistic interpretation of a complex might develop a much stronger defence Nepal’s ruling elite to postpone efforts to issue. In October 2019, Nepal’s constitution relationship with the US in the coming years. promulgate the constitution. Days after was conferred the Future Policy Silver Award India tends to recruit the Gorkha regiments Jaishankar’s suggestions were undermined, for its provisions on inclusive representation of the Indian Army from Nepal’s hill districts. India imposed an undeclared blockade at in policymaking and discriminatory As a result, any overtures by Kathmandu to its border checkpoints with Nepal. As a practices. Even if Nepal hadn’t bagged a solidify defence relations with the US might consequence, the import of essential food prestigious accolade for its legal framework not generate a positive response from India. items and fuel was halted until January from international organizations such as the What’s more, the controversy generated in 2016. Inter-Parliamentary Union, the World Future Nepal over a new political map that shows When Jaishankar visited Kathmandu Council and UNDP, it wouldn’t require the Kalapani as part of India shows that there as India’s external affairs minister in August blessings of another country to enact the are still quite a few sticking points between 2019, bilateral hiccups had become a provisions of its constitution. KP Oli’s request both neighbours. recurring feature of India-Nepal relations. should, therefore, be viewed as a cosmetic When compared to these challenges, KP Following the blockade, Nepal’s president measure to iron out any differences and Oli’s request for Modi to recognize Nepal’s cancelled his planned visit to India at the undo the damage caused by interruptions constitution appears rather trivial. With new last minute. Soon after, the then Communist in Nepal’s bilateral linkages with India. Such challenges emerging at every juncture, India Party of Nepal pinned the blame on India trust-building initiatives will be pivotal in and Nepal must allow bilateral ties to be for ousting the KP Oli-led regime. Despite resolving the underlying friction between steered through pragmatism. Both countries senior BJP leader Subramaniyam Swami’s both states. must work towards honouring the 1950 assurance that the Modi government sought At this stage, both countries need to Treaty of Peace and circumvent all issues to regain Nepal’s trust after initiating the work towards resolving a diverse menu that could produce a diplomatic impasse. undeclared border blockade on the “advice of challenges that could impede bilateral of bureaucrats”, the wounds left by New cooperation. For instance, India and Nepal The writer is a journalist Delhi’s actions had yet to heal. seem to have conflicting views on the role and author. He analyses Amid this hostile political climate, of the South Asian Association for Region international issues. He can Jaishankar returned with a proposal to revive Cooperation (SAARC) in the current context. be reached at tahakehar2@ India’s partnership with Nepal and thereby In 2018, Nepal withdrew from the Bay of gmail.com recalibrate ties between the two countries. Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical

40 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Award

Zaffar Abbas Awarded for Supporting Press Freedom

affar Abbas, the editor of Pakistan’s In 2016, he and the reporter who published leading English daily DAWN, has the news about relations between the civil Zbeen recognized for his extraordi- and military leadership were interrogated nary and sustained achievements towards for hours by Pakistan’s intelligence agen- journalistic freedom. In recognition of his ef- cies but they refused to reveal their sourc- forts, he has been awarded the 2019 Gwen es. DAWN’s circulation was disrupted in Ifill Press Freedom Award this year. The several cities on many occasions because Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), of the same reason. New York, is of the view that he has made Abbas also covered the insurgency and outstanding efforts in this regard. The. civil war in Afghanistan during the Soviet American journalist Lester Holt presented occupation, as well as the post-9/11 events the award to Abbas, saying that he was a and their impact on the region, which in- deserving recipient. The award, previously cluded the rise of religious extremism. known as the Burton Benjamin Memorial While addressing the award presentation Award, was renamed in 2017 to honour Zafar Abbass ceremony, Abbas was of the opinion that veteran journalist and former board mem- public,” said Kathleen Carroll, chair of the journalism is more about unveiling the truth ber Gwen Ifill who died in 2016. CPJ board. rather than surrendering in fear of its out- According to the Committee to Protect Abbas, who joined DAWN in 2006 and come. He also emphasised that there are Journalists (CPJ, Abbas has been a vocal became its editor in 2010, started his jour- no particular rights for journalists in Paki- supporter of the safety of journalists even at nalistic career in 1981 as a junior reporter at stan. Over the past couple of decades, he a time when journalists and media in Paki- The Star, a Karachi-based evening news- said, more than sixty journalists had been stan were facing extraordinary pressure. He paper that is now defunct. The newspaper killed in the line of duty and so far only a handful of these cases had been properly investigated, reinforcing a chilling culture of impunity when it comes to crimes against journalists in Pakistan. He thanked the CPJ and his significant co-travellers i.e. his wife, his daughter and particularly team DAWN, who stood with him (From L to R): Patrícia Campos Mello, Maxence Melo Mubyazi, through thick and thin. For him, the Zaffar Abbas, Lucía Pineda Ubau, Miguel Mora and Neha Dixit Lester Holt presenting the award to Zaffar Abbas awarded CJP’s 2019 International Press Freedom Award. award added a meaningful voice to the cause of media freedom in was appointed in 2015 as the chairman of was a part of the Herald Group which also the country. He said that even though there Editors for Safety, a body of editors who publishes Dawn. He then moved to month- had been widespread disruption of DAWN’s work to provide protection to journalists ly Herald (again a Herald Group publication) distribution network in the name of national facing threats. as an investigative journalist in 1988. In interest and patriotism and many attempts “Zaffar Abbas is the embodiment of jour- 1992 joined the BBC as its Pakistan cor- had been made to suppress free expres- nalistic courage, which is why the board is respondent sion, the newspaper remained the most so pleased to honour him with the Gwen Zaffar Abbas has faced violence and in- credible media voice in Pakistan. Ifill Press Freedom Award. Every day he timidation all through his career. In 1991, Notable past recipients of the Gwen If- fights to deliver facts to Dawn’s readers in armed men attacked him and his brother ill Press Freedom Award include Alan the face of pressure, obstacles and block- at their house. A few years later, when he Rusbridger, former editor-in-chief of The ades from the institutions in Pakistan that was working with the BBC, he and his col- Guardian (2012), Kathy Gannon of The As- would much prefer to go about their busi- leagues were physically assaulted and the sociated Press (2015) and CNN's Chris- ness without scrutiny from the press or the network’s Islamabad office was set on fire. tiane Amanpour (2016).

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 41 INnternationaleighbour

Kuala Lumpur Standing His Ground By sticking to his views despite formidable odds, Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has set a shining example for posterity.

By S.G. Jilanee roiled India so seriously, that in a surge been unapologetic, telling journalists, "We of patriotic zeal, India’s palm oil traders speak... our minds and we don't retract moment comes once in announced a boycott of Malaysian palm oil and change." The famously outspoken 94- everybody’s life to choose and demanded that Mahathir should take year-old went on to say, "Sometimes what between the spiritual and the back his remarks in order to return to the we say is liked by some and disliked by A temporal. For Malaysian Prime status quo ante. others." Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, that But India failed to achieve its purpose Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi moment came during his address to the of bullying Malaysia into submission, since had met Mahathir in Russia earlier in 74th UN General Assembly in September. Mahathir is not a tin-pot prime minister September on the sidelines of the Eastern Without mincing words, he squarely of any banana republic with feet of clay. Economic Forum, when India raised the accused India of invading and occupying He looked the Indians straight in the eye. issue of the extradition of controversial Jammu and Kashmir. He did not wilt or waver and stood his Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and Kuala The Malaysian prime minister said: ground firmly. Unapologetic, unrepentant Lumpur discussed the issue of Kashmir. "Now, despite the UN resolution on Jammu and defiant, Mahathir demonstrated to According to Malaysian media, Kashmir and Kashmir, the country has been invaded his Indian listeners that people of principle was the 'main topic' during the bilateral and occupied. do not eat their words, come hell or high meeting between Mahathir Mohamad and "There may be reasons for this action water. Modi on September 5. but it is still wrong. The problem must be Mahathir must have been aware of the Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk solved by peaceful means. India should odds against the stand he had taken. Palm Saifuddin Abdullah told reporters later, work with Pakistan to resolve this problem. oil sales to India bring hefty revenues. If "PM Modi took time to clarify the position Ignoring the UN would lead to other forms India stopped buying Malaysian palm oil - as of Jammu and Kashmir while Mahathir of disregard for the UN and the rule of it has since, that would mean tremendous Mohamad explained Malaysia's stand law." financial loss to Malaysia. The battle was that all parties should meet and adhere to Through his speech, Mahathir pulled thus between conscience and monetary United Nations resolutions. the carpet from under India’s feet. He gain in which ultimately conscience won, Undoubtedly, Mahathir Mohamad’s internationalized the Kashmir issue, which as Mahathir refused to barter it away for emergence on the scene as an advocate India has been at great pains to project what, after all, would be only “a mess of of Kashmir’s cause has opened a new vista before the world as always a “bilateral” pottage.” on the simmering issue, because for long, dispute. The Malaysian Prime Minister has firmly Pakistan had been perceived as its only No wonder, Mahathir’s direct thrusts stood by his statement’s ground and has champion. Now, it has Malaysia also on

42 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Neighbour d India failed to a Crisis Country achieve its purpose Iraq has been ravaged by warfare, an internally d agh of bullying Malaysia B displaced persons crisis and crippling sectarianism. There are severe challenges as political, sectarian into submission. and tribal conflicts rage fueled by massive corruption, unemployment and failing services. its side. And, whereas, some of the force of Pakistan’s appeal was diluted by the fact that By Siraj M. Shawa it is a party to the dispute, Malaysia’s active interest in the lingering conflict has not only ctober 2019 was one of the bloodiest months in Iraq when more than added new dimensions to it but also injected in 250 people perished and about 5000 got injured in protests across it a new vigour, because Malaysia’s approach the country. The outbreak of these protests is neither surprising nor to the issue is absolutely unselfish, based O unprecedented as, in recent years, public demonstrations against entirely on the highest principles of justice and massive corruption, unemployment and failing services have become almost truth. Mahathir’s arguments do not suffer from seasonal in Iraq. Summer protests are especially the hallmark of the country’s the constraints faced by Pakistan. political landscape because of power shortfall and water woes, primarily due to Meanwhile, the threat of India stopping extremely hot weather. What distinguishes this wave of protests is spontaneity. import of palm oil from Malaysia is going to be It has not come in response to a call from someone, nor has any party or group offset by Malaysia’s offer to buy buffalo meat of activists avidly sought to organize such anti-government rallies. The fact is, from India, of which India has too much on its it is not coordinated by any political segment and enjoys support from people hands. (What is India’s policy on the slaughter belonging to different sectarian and ethnic groups. And this makes it more of buffalos – gaoo mata – by the way?) Malaysia popular and widespread. is also going to buy sugar from India as the Since the controversial and wrongful invasion of Iraq by the United States, Indian sugar market is currently in doldrums. stability in the country remains undermined. The Bush administration deliberately However, this spat between India and misled the American people while overthrowing the authoritarian regime of Saddam Malaysia has given a new force to the Kashmir Hussein. Not only did the conditions of Iraq transform from bad to worse after the issue because, all along, the common 2003 US-led invasion, but it also led to the breaking out of violence and terrorism perception has been to treat it as a bilateral in the whole region with the coming of ISIL in 2014. Though protests have been dispute between Pakistan and India. Now, erupting in different parts of Iraq since 2015 from time to time, the defeat of Mahathir’s reference to the UN Resolution before the UNGA, has brought the issue back into full international limelight and called attention of the world community to the reign of terror India has unleashed in Jammu and Kashmir. Malaysia’s championing their cause, should also give hope and heart to the people of Kashmir, who had only Pakistan on their side so far. Now, it is no longer a purely Pakistani problem. Mahathir has turned it into an international issue by invoking the UNSC resolutions for its solution. Because Malaysia has no personal axe to grind by championing the issue, Mahathir's words are likely to find receptive ears in the international community.

The writer is a senior political analyst and former editor of SouthAsia. He can be reached at [email protected]

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 43 Neighbour

ISIS in 2017, as a result of which relative peace was established, gave ample space to the people to express their grievances and ask for redressal in a more emphatic manner. Factors involved in these demonstrations are complicated and many in number; and accordingly, it appears as if the collective public threshold has been crossed. People are full of indignation and are annoyed with all political parties, including some religious leaders. In the city of Nasiriya, the protests turned anti- status quo to the extent that marchers set the headquarters of six different political parties on fire. People have been hit by huge unemployment issues, some 25% youth are jobless - and resentful. According to the demotion of Staff Lieutenant General but to no avail. In this respect, Prime the World Bank, 22.5% of Ieaq’s population Abdul Wahab al-Saadi has further infuriated Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi promised lives in poverty and more than 60% subsist the demonstrators as he is considered a introduction of radical reforms, reduction on less than $6 a day. At the same time, national hero for leading a fight against in the salaries of high ranking officials, it holds the 4th largest reserves of oil in ISIS. They believe that he construction of 100,000 the world and is the 2nd largest OPEC was treated so because homes for the poor and producer. The state of basic healthcare he had the potential to win Iraqi people early polls, but people and education sector is appalling in Iraq. against corruption. are calling want a complete political Based on a report by UNICEF, 50% of the First it was Baghdad overhaul. This stance has schools in the country are damaged and which saw a new and for an end to also inspired people in need urgent repair. Availability of clean strong wave of public the political Lebanon, where large- water and electricity is also limited. protests on October 1, scale demonstrations Some among the protesters are but this soon spread system are being held since seeking an end to the sectarian quota- into the other cities. The which was October 17, for changing based system i.e. Muhassa, as, according administration pursued of the system. It seems to them there are reasonable indications a 2018 strategy adopted introduced that the genie is out of that politicians exploit this arrangement then for silencing Basra by the United the bottle now. And it is for personal gains. People are demanding protests when security becoming difficult, almost meritocracy where the real talent reaches forces fired directly on States in impossible, to calm the the highest level. Many are calling for people deterring others 2003. situation. In only a single an end to the political system which to come out and, as a month, crises cost the was introduced by the United States in result, the campaign was ailing economy of Iraq 2003. They call the present system very rendered unsuccessful. This time that about $6 billion. There must be a sensible corrupt that just facilitates incompetent approach has gone wrong, and the effect compromise before it’s too late. To a great people. A number of the people want has been exactly the opposite. Though extent, the US and UK are responsible for to become independent of the US and 150 civilians were killed in the first week the current situation in Iraq because ther Iranian influence. They even tried to raid of October and the tally crossed the unilaterally launched a military offensive to the Iranian consulate in Karbala city on figure of 250 by the end of the month, oust Saddam Hussein and must now play November 3 but a few of lost their lives yet it couldn’t discourage people from their part in making Iraq a truly welfare while doing so. joining the protests. Curfews imposed in state. Others want amendments to the Baghdad, Nasiriya, Amara, Najaf and Hilla constitution and electoral laws along with were openly defied by the enraged youth. The writer is a freelance accountability for those who killed and The government imposed curbs on contributor. He can be injured demonstrators. Still, there are media outlets and suspended internet reached at SirajShawa@ others who decry the dismal state of public services in different parts of the country to gmail.com services and poor governance. Moreover, cope with the extremely difficult situation

44 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 International

o n A Right Royal

L o nd Conundrum Britain has been haggling over the nation’s withdrawal from the European Union, the process known as Brexit, since the referendum in 2016.

By Muhammad Ali Ehsan

he United Kingdom is holding elections once again and the country is creating a sort of T electoral history as it goes to elections for the fourth time in the last five years. At the heart of the matter is the desire by the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to break the political deadlock. There is a clear division in the British parliament on Brexit and it is said that so far the only clear decision the Parliament has given since the 2016 Brexit referendum is giving the formal notice to quit under Article 50 of the European Union Lisbon Treaty. That set into motion the forty eight months notice on the way to depart from the EU by March 2019 – set as the formal divorce date. The deal remained unacceptable and what held it up and created huge triumph as their jobs will be secure and no must be put through a public vote. This disagreement were Britain’s interests seen new immigrants will come to Britain. But gave the British public the choice of by many as vital. Three factors stand out the younger lot looks at this as a great approving departure from the EU on Prime that make the Brexit deal controversial. absence of opportunity as they would not Minister Johnson’s terms or decide for a Firstly, Britain is an important export market be able to pursue their studies abroad or second referendum on the issue. and remains the biggest source of foreign seek and get employment in the EU bloc. The third and the most important investment. Britain’s EU membership had Britain is divided today on similar lines that factor is Britain’s only land border with the helped establish its position as a global it was divided when it sought the 2016 EU – popularly termed as ‘the invisible line’ financial centre. With the announcement referendum on the matter. The governing between Ireland which is a sister country of Brexit, some major companies started conservatives and the Labour opposition of the EU bloc and Northern Ireland working on the possibility of re-locating. exhibit deep polarization within the parties which is part of the United Kingdom. Any The UK government has already made as well as the Parliament. checkposts that may be planned and built an assessment that under Brexit, the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s on this border will directly affect the ‘Good economy will go down by at least 4 to 9 announcement of the Oct 2019 draft deal Friday Agreement of 1998’ which brought percent than it would if Britain remained was met with opposition by the Democratic an end to decades of violence in Northern in the bloc. Unionist Party of Northern Ireland which Ireland. The second factor is the free clearly stated that it will not support the Theresa May, the former UK Prime movement of people. Brexit would end the proposal. Their support was very crucial Minister, envisaged keeping the UK in right of the people elsewhere in Europe for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to get a trading relationship with the EU until a to live and work in Britain and the same the deal approved by the Parliament. final deal to avoid a hard border could be will be the case for people of Britain to The opposition Labour Party was already agreed upon. Mr. Johnson’s proposal on work and live elsewhere in Europe. Some against the deal as it clearly maintained the other hand sought to take Britain out see this element of the deal as a political a position that the deal or the agreement of the EU but effectively leave Northern

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 45 International

Justin t tawa O Trudeau 2.0 There is a question mark on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s liberal ideas and future political career.

By Ayaz Ahmed

anadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has succeeded to win a second term in the Canadian national elections. Though he failed to clinch a majority but he delivered unpredictably strong results despite having C been weakened by a series of scandals that had stained his image as a liberal. It seems racial remarks passed by a leader in a country inhabited by Ireland in the EU bloc’s custom union and ultra-liberal people cost him too much. The racist behaviour against the blacks single market. The Democratic Unionist party and other minorities carelessly shown by Justin Trudeau was presumably the opposed this as it does not want Northern underlying reason for his and his party's failure to gain a majority. Ireland to diverge from the rest of the United Trudeau's Liberal Party gained the most seats in the Canadian Parliament, Kingdom. giving it the best chance to form a government. Nevertheless, since the party Mr. Johnson took office in July 2019 and does not have the majority of seats, the Liberals would have to depend on an promised to take Britain out of the Bloc by opposition party to pass legislation in the future. "It's not quite the same as 31st October. That didn’t happen. Now when in 2015. It's not all owing to the leader," says Robert Bothwell, a professor of the United Kingdom couldn’t leave the bloc on Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto. "Trudeau the proposed date with or without the deal, is Prime Minister because the rest of the party was able to pull itself together the rebels in the Prime Minister’s party and the and prevail. While Trudeau certainly deserves credit for what has happened, he's opposition combined to get hold of the entire going to have to demonstrate qualities that he hasn't yet shown." Brexit process. The choices were now very There is no doubt that Justin Trudeau has always remained clear - either to further seek an extension from a progressive and liberal leader, supporting the rights the EU or hold a general elections of marginalized communities and black people. But the In a 650-member parliament, a party needs emergence of three damning images of the Canadian 326 seats to form a majority government. There prime minister have largely shattered the Prime Minister's could most likely be a hung Parliament. There judiciously curated image as a progressive leader. After that would be a joint parliamentary agreement on incident, Trudeau also apologized, "I'm pissed Brexit or the deal and a process that would off at myself. I'm disappointed in make that possible remains a foregone myself," he told reporters. However, conclusion. his apology dismally failed to The United Kingdom, even after the elections, may still be seeking a parliamentary consensus on an agreed Brexit deal. The only positive coming out of the entire Brexit process is the importance of democratic norms and the value that the liberal democratic world gives to politics of consensus and the rule of the majority.

The writer is a member of the Faculty of Contemporary Studies at NDU, Islamabad. He can be reached at muhammadaliehsan1@ hotmail.com

46 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 International

convince the Canadians that he was ashamed of his sexist behaviour against the black people and other minorities. One can argue that the sexist conduct of the Canadian Prime Minister showed his inner dark side that he somehow has a sort of aversion towards non-white people. A leader, who once passed such remarks, cannot be termed a liberal person altogether. Needless to say that a large number of his followers have also been disheartened because of his abrupt change in behaviour- from a liberal to a sexist person. Arguably, it may take substantial time for Mr Trudeau to regain his lost prestige and position himself again as a liberal and as an advocate of the rights of black people. "While Trudeau will likely sustain political damage in the coming days, he's unlikely to be facing an existential crisis," says Nelson Wiseman, a professor of political science at the University of Toronto. In February this year, Trudeau became involved in a major political scandal after he and his political allies were accused of pressurizing Canada's former minister of justice and attorney general, Jody that Trudeau had employed the authority of the energetic Prime Minister. These forces Wilson-Raybould, into dropping criminal of his office "to circumvent, undermine and in the country would possibly keep checks corruption charges against the Quebec- ultimately attempt to discredit the decision" and balances on all measures proposed based engineering of both prosecutors and and adopted by the next government of company SNC-Lavalin. The loss of Wilson-Raybould. Justin Trudeau in the foreseeable future. Instead, Mr Trudeau credibility of The report outlines As a result, it could bring about some wished Wilson-Raybould Trudeau's "flagrant" sorts of formidable obstacles in the way to simply issue financial Justin Trudeau efforts to influence of the next government to proceed with its penalties, which would will likely Wilson-Raybould "directly manifesto. permit the company, and indirectly" over the The loss of credibility of Justin Trudeau which was charged with convince the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, will likely convince the Liberal Party to having bribed Libyan Liberal Party and found that "partisan replace him with another person having officials, to avoid a 10- political interests were a greater recognition in the country. So, year ban on bidding on to replace him inappropriately put to the political career of the young Prime federal contracts. Trudeau with another the Attorney General Minister hangs in the balance; however, if defended himself by person having for consideration in the he wishes to stick to power and save his saying he wasn't trying matter." position, Justin Trudeau must refrain from to improperly push the a greater The scandal left all kinds of controversy, favouritism and attorney general but recognition. obstructive and adverse sexist remarks in the future. wanted to advocate for impacts on the political this route to protect jobs career of Prime Minister The writer is a columnist and an M. that might be lost if SNC-Lavalin were Justin Trudeau as seen from the recent Phil scholar at Karachi blocked from federal contracts. shock to his Liberal Party which lost 20 University. He can be Later, Canada's ethics commissioner seats and failed to clinch a majority in reached at Mario Dion largely supported the claims the elections. Moreover, there have now ayazahmed6666@ against Trudeau in a 63-page report that appeared certain quarters in Canada that gmail.com appeared in August this year, revealing have started questioning the political career

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 47 Feature

Pakistan Navy’s

Karachi New Clout When the Pakistan Navy inducted the Chinese-built survey vessel PNS Behr Masah into its fleet recently, it developed a new hydrographic, oceanographic and geographic survey capability.

By Cdr (Retd) Hassaan Faisal PN equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and and voyaged through the Pacific and Indian is fully capable of undertaking hydrographic, Oceans to reach Karachi without being he Pakistan Navy has recently oceanographic and geophysical surveys refueled at any point in the voyage. inducted the survey vessel PNS as well as seafloor mapping in shallow and With the induction of PNS Behr Masah, Behr Masah into its fleet. This is an ocean depths. the hydrographic survey capabilities of the Tover 3000 ton survey ship which is PNS Behr Masah was commissioned at Pakistan Navy have been brought at par the Pakistan Navy Dockyard in with many developed maritime nations. The Karachi by Chief of the Naval PNS Behr Masah was envisioned as an all- Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood weather ship that would enable Pakistan Abbasi. Navy to undertake effective hydrographic, The Naval Chief geophysical and oceanographic surveys with appreciated the efforts and modern equipment. commitment of Dajin Shipyard The ship has two state-of-the-art survey of China for its excellent motor boats, which can undertake systematic workmanship and timely and detailed mapping of shallow waters. completion of PNS Behr PNS Behr Masah will effectively carry out Masah. hydrographic surveys of Pakistan’s Exclusive After undergoing various Economic Zone (EEZ) and the extended stages of construction continental shelf. It will also map the ocean followed by rigorous sea floor to produce nautical charts and Electronic Pakistan Naval Chief addressing the commissioning trials, Behr Masah left China Navigation Chart (ENCs). ceremony of PNS Behr Masah.

48 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Feature

With the induction of PNS Behr Masah, the hydrographic survey capabilities of the Pakistan Navy have been brought at par with many developed maritime nations.

PNS Behr Masah will also help support marine scientific research and geo-resource mapping surveys with oceanographic cruises, sea trips and deployments. It will also strengthen Pakistan’s marine scientific research capability and provide Pakistan Navy the flexibility to carry out underwater search and localization operations. Besides maintaining safety of navigation at sea, PNS Behr Masah Roles of PNS Behr Masah will augment the promotion of Resource Exploitation in Pakistan’s EEZ and provide environmental protection and management through PNS Behr Masah is equipped with state-of-the-art information about bathymetry and sea floor characteristics, Maritime equipment to undertake hydrographic and oceanographic Boundary Delimitation and enhancement of maritime defence and search and investigation surveys that fulfill international security. requirements and obligations. The ship’s various roles comprise: a. Hydrographic surveys of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the extended continental shelf. b. Mapping of the ocean floor to produce nautical products and Electronic Navigation Charts (ENCs). c. Marine scientific research and geo-resource mapping surveys/oceanographic cruises/sea trips/deployments. d. Investigation and evaluation of promising areas of living and non-living resources in coordination with national agencies. e. Dredging support for surveys. f. Research work/surveys of coastal zones and development of marine infrastructure i.e. ports and harbour development, etc. g. Capacity-building of marine education and scientific surveys in order to train survey officers/technicians and students from other maritime institutions. h. Commercial surveys at national and regional levels. i. Assistance to national institutions for collection of relative marine information.

Navy’s Hydrographic Department is already contributing efficiently to The PN Chief meeting the Chinese team. the nation’s economy, trade, marine research, maritime security and The ship will reinforce the development of Pakistan’s maritime conflict resolution with neighbouring countries. It is also increasing infrastructure through compilation of data regarding tides and the awareness of policy-makers and stakeholders about maritime waves besides providing Tsunami Flood and Inundation modelling. issues. Hydrographic data is a critical asset for any activity at sea and in coastal areas and bathymetry is one of the most relevant contributions The writer is a seasoned Hydrographer and to the marine community. Hydrographic data feeds nautical charts and has served in the Pakistan Navy Hydrography maritime projects. Department. He was also involved in Despite meagre resources and a difficult survey environment, construction of the ship in China. the Pakistan Navy still has a strong tradition in hydrography. The

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 49 Feature

Legacy of Oppression True progress requires truly visionary leadership.

By Amjad Ali Siyal they will not be allowed to rule, people should the bureaucracy could use violent tactics to not live in peace”. The tendency to acquire silence the agitators. It is for this reason that hough Pakistan and India have more and more territory by means of force is use of force became an inherent tool for the achieved independence, the legacy being practised by the BJP-led Modi regime, bureaucracy in Pakistan even after partition. of the British colonial era continues disregarding bilateral agreements such as the Archaic and brutal tactics used by police for Tto this day. The colonial masters Simla Agreement of 1972, the para 1 (ii) of extracting confessions from suspects have followed the policy of divide and rule. The which says, “…. pending the final settlement been handed down by the colonial masters. bureaucracy was structured in such a way of any of the problems between the two In a recent case, Salahuddin, who mocked that it would suppress the masses; they also countries, neither side shall unilaterally alter the CCTV camera while stealing from an loved luxurious lifestyles at the expense of the situation….”. This is the legacy of the ATM in Faisalabad, was picked up by law the colonised people exploitation of all sorts through which they forcibly enfocement agencies from Rahim Yar Khan. was their favourite pastime so that they could annexed territories of the weak nations Their brutal torture caused the death of this continue their unchallenged hegemony. This or wherever they deemed necessary. The mentally challenged person. Through the legacy was inherited by the ruling elite of Indian government has all through trampled whole process, the police performed the job India and Pakistan from their colonial masters on the will of the people of Kashmir. Bilateral of complainant, prosecutor and judge. and is a source of the poor socio-economic agreements, the Lahore Declaration of 1999 It was an utter surprise when the IG of growth of the region. and the resolutions of the Security Council the Punjab Police issued an order prohibiting The British Raj devised everything to were thrown into the dustbin of history. While police officials from using mobile phones sustain its rule in the subcontinent. It divided the Congress Party of India succeeded or taking photographs during duty hours. the people on the basis of their faith, social in dismembering Pakistan and creating Can this measure change the behaviour status, etc. Those seeds of discord continue Bangladesh, the BJP has abrogated India’s of the police force? Will not using mobile to bleed the subcontinent with more hatred own constitution and unilaterally merged phones and cameras make the police more than ever before. The unsettled issue of the Muslim-majority state of Kashmir into its professional? Was this one of those long- Kashmir, which is the unfinished agenda of union territory. awaited police reforms? During the tenure the partition of the subcontinent according British inherited institutions have always of former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, the to the UN Security Council Resolutions, is flourished in the subcontinent as they were uniform of the Punjab police was changed a legacy of the British Raj. There are many modeled on the concept of suppression in the hope that the changed uniform would more such issues. of the masses. The colonisers shaped the change the public’s perception about the It was a calculated move to keep the bureaucratic structure to suppress the people police force. Millions of rupees were spent people of the region engaged in a state of rather than to render service to them. They on the new uniforms. The same money perpetual conflict, based on the notion “if did this so that in case an uprising erupted, could have been spent on capacity building

50 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Feature

and creating awareness in the police about their responsibilities of being service-oriented. A change in mindset is what is needed for Art Stands the police department. This requires conscious

efforts and deployment of resources in a Karachi logcal manner. All underlying issues need to Still be addressed, such as increasing salaries, performance-based promotions, etc., rather Freedom of expression in Pakistani society is a than such cosmetic actions as uniform change relative term and the worst hit is the realm of art. or banning mobile phones and cameras in police stations. By Maheen Aziz Prime Minister Imran Khan says colonisers enjoyed luxurious lifestyles and lived in large akistan’s socio-political strings have tied down the practice of art in the Legacy of mansions. The same people lived within their country. There was a time when abstract art was considered to be “un- limited means and could not afford luxuries as Islamic.” Raging from drastic Islamisation upheavals from Zia-ul-Haq’s taxpayers in England. That legacy has been Prestricted vision all the way to the censorship of even the slightest Oppression transferred into the DNA of the bureaucratic narrative of political art or nudes, the Pakistani art scene today has made little and political classes of the subcontinent. Ruling progress. rather than providing service has become a The system in Pakistan just fails to protect freedom of expression and art. routine for them. Recently, LEA personnel pulled the reins of state censorship when they made KBT It is these colonial traits that are responsible for shut down Adeela Suleman’s installation ‘Killing Fields of Karachi’ on the 444 extra- the backwardness of Pakistan which is far behind judicial killings by Rao Anwer, the former police SSP. many countries that attained independence in the Art is at a standstill when it doesn’t raise questions, challenges and provokes. late 1940s. It is still facing the problems which Even today if a slightest whiff of sexualized art is sensed, action is taken to dismantle existed at the time of independence as there is or to confiscate it immediately. Artists have to censor their own work or hide it by a lack of visionary leadership which would have sticking two canvases together when travelling with it. It is an illusion of progress, thought of the well-being of the people, prosperity because it’s easy to be revolutionary within the walls of a privately owned gallery, of the country and strengthening of institutions. where the only viewers of your work are like-minded people from a very small The ruling elite have inherited the same colonial circle. mindset and have maintained the status quo What started as a nation with only two art institutes, the Mayo School of Art and because it has helped them to sustain their rule the Department of Fine Arts at the Punjab University, now has several private art and has sent the people to grapple with one galleries and institutions like the Indus Valley of Art and Architecture, BNU, CEAD issue after another. Pakistan is a cash-strapped and others lend a touch of sophistication to art teaching. The art scene is further nation but its politicians, its bureaucracy and the invigorated by art shows and biennales which provide a platform for artists. people at large indulge in wasteful expenses of However, few people speak English in Pakistan. This creates difficulties in all kinds. When there is more expenditure and studying and understanding art. Apart from a small circle of artists, enthusiasts and less income, this creates corruption and leads the nation to a vicious debt-trap, which is a serious hindrance in the path of socio-economic progress and self-sustenance. It is time for wise choices to be made so that a direction can be set towards national prosperity through honest politicians, service-oriented bureaucracy and working institutions. The law needs to be followed in letter and spirit rather than for mere lip service. Sustainable institutions must be made viable to save more Salahuddins from falling victim to the police.

The writer is a development sector practitioner and can be reached at [email protected]

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 51 Feature

students, art is more or less a lost cause for others. People in non-art related fields may not even know their nation’s artists. Commemorated names like Abdur Rehman Chughtai, Ghulam Rasool, , , Shakir Ali, Ismail Gulgee, , Ahmed Pervez, , etc. are rarely known outside the art circle. Some new Pakistani artists like Imran Qureshi and Huma Bhabha have displayed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Shazia Sikander’s work was displayed for a month in New York’s Times Square. News in Pakistan is only considered worth covering when it is linked to a political conflict. The media covered the Karachi Biennale 2019 at but the installations were sealed off and destroyed due to political reasons. There was no coverage of the biennale by the electronic media although the theme was Ecology, which should have mattered. The art institutions across the nation aid themselves by promoting their projects on social media, which is why the public has no knowledge of these art events. But it’s not all closeted. When it comes to contemporary art, the Pakistani art scene is very exciting and happening. Karachi will be getting its second biennale and Lahore is gearing up for a second too. The International Watercolor Biennale in Jamshoro is also all set to be opened in February 2020. It seems the post-Zia conceptual approach in artists has turned towards stronger issues. It seems the art produced today fights to free When I talked to some undergrads at an history. There is no art school or gallery there. the female form from the societal moorings art institution in Karachi, they complained Besides Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, it’s it is tethered to. about being burdened with so many the same story everywhere else. There is an ample amount of unlearning assignments but they were still not sure what The recent economic downturn has also to do in art education. A child is taught to their major was. They were strictly told that contributed to a decline in the sale of art. The copy off a blackboard instead of being left they couldn’t use watercolour as the medium art sector in Pakistan is already under a lot of to his own imagination. What he learns is is hard to manage and old-fashioned. Most stress. This is further aggravated by divisions the “right” way to do art, what colours fine art students cannot pursue their careers among artists, galleries and art institutions should be used, etc. All this does is mar due to strict guidelines and this stunts their and this further sabotages the cause of art. the child’s creativity and curtails his initiative skills. Only a small percentage of these Perhaps Pakistan’s art world will soon meet to think like an individual. Some media like students go on to pursue careers while the the same fate as its cinema sector. watercolour are entirely neglected and not others either take up teaching or go into taught at art schools. People like Jamil other areas. If some follow a career in art, The writer is a free-lance journalist. She Naqsh, Sadequain, Ali Abbas Syed, Syed they have to do two other jobs to meet their covers a range of subjects Moazzam Ali, Naheed Raza and A Q Arif, to needs because an artist does not make including art, culture, name a few, have contributed tremendously enough money. entertainment, travel and to the watercolour medium but art schools Why is art restricted to the bigger cities women’s rights. She can be have started neglecting it and it is being only? What about place like Bahawalpur reached at MmaheenAaziz@ forgotten by new artists. which is renowned for its heritage and outlook.com

52 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Feature Invest to Earn

L ahore Nestlé BISP Rural Women Sales Program is a collaborative partnership for poverty alleviation.

By Nuzair A. Virani o truly achieve any breakthrough in poverty alleviation one thing has become increasingly clear: we must Teconomically empower and invest in women. For a long time women have been the most underprivileged and discriminated strata of society not just in Pakistan, but the world over. Women can play an instrumental roles in lifting not just their families, but entire communities and eventually society as well out-of-poverty. When women decide to be the change agents, then there is no stopping them: they are truly a force to reckon with! Every woman should be able to pursue her potential, be empowered enough to make his recent visit to Pakistan in early November. their communities, and disbursed over PKR her own decisions and ultimately change her He met with Nestle BISP Sales Agents and 2 Million worth of loans to over 200 of these life and circumstances. However, men and interacted with them to understand how this women. This program also highlights our women need to work together to attain this, program is leading towards financial inclusion commitment to attaining the Sustainable and where men and women work together to and economic empowerment. Development Goals (SDGs)”. achieve this that is when the transformation “Nestlé Pakistan believes that by investing – Waqar Ahmad, Head of happens. in women across our value chain, we will be Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Pakistan These have been some of the key able to create winning models of success not Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) findings of the Nestlé BISP Rural Women just for ourselves but our beneficiaries as well. is a social protection program run by the Sales Program: A project that believes Today, as part of our Creating Shared Value which provides poverty alleviation requires collective action. approach, we launched the Rural Women unconditional and conditional cash transfers By adopting a collaborative approach this Sales Program which involves creating to the “poorest of the poor” women of systemic partnership is focused on attaining business opportunities for the BOP (Bottom Pakistan. Currently, BISP has enrolled 5.7 the SDGs by delivering a potent sales of the Pyramid) populations of Pakistan and Million beneficiaries as part of its system who force of women belonging to rural areas generating economic prosperity for them. As are paid a stipend of PKR 5000 per quarter. of Punjab and Sindh. There is no magic part of our scale-up of this program, we have "Benazir Income Support Program bullet” to women empowerment, however also partnered with Akhuwat and extending (BISP) is the largest cash transfer program this program has shown that economic the facility of micro-loans for these women. of Government of Pakistan, BISP prides itself empowerment may lead to wider social Today our program has enrolled over 800 to be the fifth largest social safety net in the and political empowerment. Traditionally, women working as Nestle BISP Rural Sales world. BISP is providing Income Support women of rural Pakistan have been unable Agents and are involved in direct selling to to more than 5.4 million eligible households to participate in any structured economic throughout the country. Our vision is to activity. This intervention, has helped these enhance the financial capacity of poor “poorest of the poor” women (who are people and their dependent family members, BISP beneficiaries) get into the business of especially women, through targeted social retail hence, paving the way for economic protection initiatives. Graduating beneficiaries empowerment. Furthermore, this project is out of poverty is a key priority area for allowing for greater “financial inclusion”, by BISP, for which we have launched various improving financial access for these “poorest partnerships. One of such partnership is with of the poor” women. Nestlé Pakistan, where BISP beneficiaries are This project was recently also presented President World Bank David Malpass working as Active Sales Agents. This initiative interacting with the Rural Sales Agents. to David Malpass (President, World Bank) on is a great example of the role successful

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 53 Feature

public-private partnership can play in the earning can be as high as PKR 15,000 per socio-economic development of not just month. However, it was not easy for her to BISP Beneficiaries, but rather for the entire step out of her house and start running her BOP (bottom of the pyramid) population of own shop, she had to overcome a lot of Pakistan” obstacles particularly from her husband. – Ali Raza Bhutta, Federal Secretary, “It’s the mindset that is the hardest to Benazir Income Support Program overcome, but today, my husband is my By rolling out the microcredit scheme biggest champion. He motivates me and for the participants of this program, this helps me whenever he can despite his collaboration has successfully scaled-up and illness. My children are back in school, I am brought formal financial services to the ultra- educate these poor women on the importance providing them proper meals three times a poor women. Furthermore, these women are of nutrition. By successfully running Nutrition day”. Samina, is one of the Rural Sales Agent now prioritizing good nutrition and education seminars to these beneficiaries, the program running her own shop in PindhBhattian and for their children. Once, these women have has successfully taught these women the working as a retailer. been able to earn a sustainable livelihood basics of nutrition in an easy-to-understand The story of Samina Bibi, and many for themselves they have improved their manner. With the help of visual aids, this others shows that investments made by nutritional outcomes of themselves and their program has reached out to more than 1700 empowering women can not only lead families. They have re-enrolled their children BISP beneficiaries during these nutrition to poverty alleviation but also, improved back in school and well on the pathway of sessions. outcomes of both health and education for prosperity. Another unique aspect of this Today, Samina BiBi a Nestle BISP Rural the entire family. Lastly, this project is a great program is the recognition that access Sales Agent is earning a dignified living for example of how cooperation and collaboration to finance does not guarantee improved herself and her family. She previously was is key to poverty alleviation as demonstrated outcomes of health and nutrition. Indeed, it only receiving PKR 5000 per quarter as by this tripartite project of Nestlé Pakistan, is a prerequisite but equally important is to stipend from BISP, but today, her monthly BISP and Akhuwat Pakistan.

54 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Interview

‘I have had a guiding role in a great social and intellectual transformation.’

Dr. Farrukh Iqbal, the outgoing Director of IBA, Karachi, talks to SouthAsia in this exclusive interview.

Dr. Ishrat Hussain restructured the institutions should not be run on personal started by my predecessor as well as to set IBA on modern lines. What was your whims and preferences. in motion some new initiatives. I feel that I motivating force in following in his have had a guiding role in a great social and footsteps? What are your strengths and intellectual transformation that the IBA is I had known Dr. Ishrat socially and weaknesses? undergoing. professionally for a long time before I I believe my main strength lies in managing joined the IBA in 2016 and was aware of highly educated and independent-minded What are the important milestones that the restructuring he had begun. Indeed, I professionals. Such a group requires a fair you have achieved? would say that the motivating force behind amount of intellectual space and freedom I leave IBA in a strong financial position to my decision to take on the assignment at but must also be persuaded to work towards take on future challenges. Reserves and the IBA was my intellectual sympathy and institutional objectives. This is somewhat like the endowment have both grown while our alignment with the objectives of the change conducting an orchestra. Each individual dependence on state grants has declined. he had initiated. instrument player must be given room to Our student intake continues to be of the express himself or herself but they must highest quality, whether measured by our What do you value most in terms of also be conducted in a way that generates own admissions tests or the SAT. Our faculty work ethics? harmonious music as a final result. is improving over time, with many more PhDs I value consistency in applying institutional being hired and quality research output rules as an important part of work ethics. How would you look back at your rising. We have made IBA more accessible Managers should not only make clear journey as head of IBA? to a wider group of students, with financial institutional rules but should also follow It has been a very fulfilling journey. I have had assistance now being offered in the total them consistently and transparently. Large the opportunity to advance certain initiatives amount of PKR 300 million per year to

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 55 Interview

about 900 students. Our graduates continue to face decent employment prospects. While economic cycles can always change prospects, about three quarters of our students can expect to be employed within three months of graduation.

Do you think that we have enough business schools producing good managers and business leaders? We do not have enough schools producing good managers and leaders. For example, there are around 140 registered business schools in Pakistan but only 20 are currently accredited by the National Business Education Accreditation Council (NBEAC), a local quality assessment organization to which universities apply voluntarily. This suggests that less than 15% of our business schools meet local standards for quality accreditation.

What are your comments on the HEC’s contribution to higher education in Pakistan? The HEC has helped create more universities, more PhDs and more research in the last fifteen years. This rush for quantity has, however, led to many relevant institutions and individuals falling short on quality. The quality problem is partly reflected in the fact that the average pass rate in the annual CSS examination is less than 3.5 percent. It is also reflected in the fact that not many of our universities rank among the top 1000 places of higher education in the world. The current senior management at the HEC is, 'We do not have enough schools accordingly, rethinking the grand strategy of producing good managers and leaders.' higher education in the country to emphasize quality over quantity. domestic economy. We do not yet have jobs and careers. Both governance problems What kind of qualified young people that. need to be resolved if we are to convert the would take Pakistan forward? demographic burden of our youth bulge into The industrialization history of the US Is Pakistan making good use of its large a demographic dividend. and Europe and, more recently, of East youth population? and Southeast Asia, suggests that great We are not making good use of our large youth What are your future plans? economic progress is possible even with population. The governance problems we My future plans are to slow down a bit and relatively low-skilled populations. So we face in public sector primary and secondary spend more time with my wife and children do not necessarily need much more by education have led to large numbers of and even grandchildren if any come along. I way of qualifications other than good basic relatively less skilled youth than should have will continue to work in Pakistan for several schooling to advance. But we do need good been the case. The governance problems we months of the year on economic development basic schooling. And we do need a system face in providing an enabling environment to matters as well as with the NBEAC. Finally, of economic governance that allows these private investment has led to large numbers there’s a pile of unread books in my study young people to be absorbed in a growing of youth not being employed in productive that needs my urgent attention.

56 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Tribute

By Syed Jawaid Iqbal senior fellow in the Foreign Policy programme at the Brookings Institute for 21 years - from t is so painful to know that Prof. Stephen 1998 till his death on October 27, 2019. During Cohen, the American political scientist and his association with the Brookings Institute, he professor of South Asian Security Studies, published seven books and several papers Iis no more. He was one gem of a human focusing primarily on security and foreign being. I first met him in May 1990 when I visited policy in South Asia. the United States for a 4-week tour across the Cohen was the first American scholar to country in connection with a project related to work in South Asian security studies. Being US Foreign Policy and South Asia. a pioneer in his domain, he trained and This extraordinary visit was planned under mentored many leading analysts and security the International Visitors Program known strategists. In addition, he developed as IVP and was organized by the US policy interests in key matters, Department of State. such as disaster management, It was based on familiarizing nuclear proliferation and counter- scholars from the South Asian region terrorism. In recognition of his with US efforts in Arms Control, impactful scholarship and far- Disarmament and International reaching influence in policy- Security and inviting them to see making, he was named senior the Beckman Centre for Advanced fellow emeritus by Brookings in Study of Artificial Intelligence. 2017. Professor Stephen Cohen was Prior to joining Brookings, assisting his Government in setting Professor Stephen Cohen Cohen was a faculty member at up a three-day program for the the University of Illinois at Urbana- visiting delegation at Champaign- A Sane Voice Champaign in the departments of Urbana at the University of Illinois. political science and history from The professor was very kind to 1965 to 1998. invite me to his place, along with Goes Silent He served as a member of the four other delegates, for an informal Policy Planning staff at the U.S. dinner at which he served roasted Department of State in 1985-87. Turkey. While the Turkey was delicious, it researchers in the West desist from examining He also taught in Singapore, Japan and India offered me the added advantage of enjoying this aspect on the basis of merit; they tend to and served as scholar-in-residence at the Ford ‘kosher’ food! form subjective views that are mostly aligned Foundation in New Delhi in1992-93. The visit to Prof. Cohen’s place was an with their official policies. Cohen authored, co-authored and experience that left a lasting impression on me. Prof. Cohen’s reputation as a US-based edited a number of books, research papers, Firstly, I was struck by the very simple setup of expert on South Asian security issues was monographs and articles. Among the best- his household. There were no fancy frills and well-founded and emerged as a leading voice known titles are, ‘The Future of Pakistan,’ his minimalistic belongings depicted the fact from the West. ‘Pakistan, Piece by Piece,’ ‘Shooting for a that this was the house of a professor. In the Western world, Stephen Cohen was Century: The India-Pakistan Conundrum,’ The other thing was his obvious love best-known for his deep insights into Pakistani ‘The Idea of Pakistan,’ ‘The Pakistan Army,’ of books. His study was more like a library and Indian security requirements. He was like ‘The Indian Army: Its Contribution to the with shelf upon shelf loaded with books. The a one-man think tank on the most complex Development of a Nation,’ ‘The Compound amazing part was that whichever title my security matters of the sub-continent. His Crisis of 1990: Perception, Politics and curiosity led me to pull out from any row, I five-decade long association with the South Insecurity,’ ‘India: Emerging Power’ and found that it had been signed by the author of Asian region helped him depict a reality-based the ‘Arming without Aiming: India’s Military the book and presented to Prof. Cohen. picture of regional security that is vulnerable at Modernization.’ Prof. Cohen was exceptional in many the hands of those global powers that seem Stephen Cohen was named as one of ways. He was one of those few Americans to be over-concerned by what they deem as America's 500 most influential people in foreign who were best known in India and Pakistan the fragile state of peace and security in the affairs. He died leaving behind a generation of for their objective analysis of the region’s region. political researchers and strategic analysts he security options. Most political experts and Born in 1936, Stephen Philip Cohen was a had mentored over a 50-year career.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 57 Around Town

MAK and Young Fun

AK is a clothing brand from Alkaram. It has launched its Fall/ Winter collection 2019 titled ‘Young, Fun and Green’ with the Mspirit of quintessential and minimalist designs. The collection has 22 pieces of Pret wear and 30 unstitched pieces. It caters to teenagers with some chic and contemporary designs. It focuses on a personalized mix of print and colour to help find more versatility in the closet. The collection is inspired by and dedicated to young women juggling between their academic lives and hanging out with friends. MAK is a young and fresh take on clothing design. Its philosophy is to keep in mind a young teenage girl who is actively exploring ideas. The brand helps her in the process by giving her options to set her style statement, fused with minimal and over the top designs tailored in an effortlessly modern way.

Another Susen Store

usen recently launched its fourth store, the first in Hyderabad, at the main Auto Bahn SRoad. Many prominent people attended the inauguration. The host, Ahmed Godil, welcomed ev- eryone. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was performed by chief guest Suzain Fatima, followed by guests taking a round of the store and exploring Susen’s products ranging from modern and quality handbags to shoes and sun- glasses. The outlet is a one-stop-shop as the collection offers wallets and belts for both women and men. Susen is a UAE-based brand, founded in 2003 with a vision to empower women around the world to express themselves freely through fashion. In a short period, it has become the most popular brand in the Middle East and has expanded to 60 countries worldwide. The products are also available online.

58 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Reviews Book Slavery, Suffering, Silence A Voice Against Slavery and Suffering

By Nadya Chishty-Mujahid can be a female member of her own family. During the bitter divorce of the late Princess lavery, Suffering, Silence is Sc- of Wales’s (Diana’s) parents, the most damn- harmin Osmany’s intrepid foray ing testimony against Diana’s mother Fran- into the world of female disem- ces came from Frances’s own mother, Ruth Spowerment. A respected advocate Roche. A friend of the late Queen Mother, of the Sindh High Court, Osmany combines Ruth was so fanatically pro-establishment that her legal expertise and writing skills in order to she vehemently opposed her own daughter’s produce a polemical but important book that divorce in spite of the undeniable misery that highlights the intense oppression women have Frances had suffered at the hands of Diana’s globally endured at the hands of the patriarchy father. throughout history and across cultures. Book Title : Slavery, Suffering, Silence The tragic afore-mentioned scenario in- Though not an academic endeavour, the Author : Scharmin Osmany volves the upper classes, but such tensions book is nevertheless useful in that it system- Publisher : Royal Book Company, 2019 prevail worldwide regardless of whether one atically and painstakingly documents many Pages : Hardback; 266 pp. is rich or poor, elite or common. Osmany la- problems faced by the fairer sex. These in- ISBN : 9780-969-407-485-6 ments that children raised in environments clude, but are not limited to, female genetic where women are abused by their husbands mutilation, honour killing, lack of education, She pulls no punches when it comes to and partners often have to suffer both trauma poor maternal health, female infanticide, do- discussing how, aside from karo kari and wat- as well as experience detrimental psychologi- mestic violence (both prior to and after mar- ta satta, there are other practices that place cal confusion. Too often, moreover, she says, riage), sexual harassment, sex trafficking, girls at a huge disadvantage (especially in society harps on how women should protect paedophilia, workplace discrimination, acid tribal areas of Pakistan). Often clannish jirgas themselves from rape, as opposed to actively attacks against females and rape. Although, marry young girls off to rival families in order to teaching men (and boys) that rape is a seri- unfortunately, men are the main perpetrators seal breaches between warring factions, sadly ous violent crime, the consequences of which of this, Osmany raises her voice against soci- without taking into consideration the psycho- range from major injury to death. Given that ety as opposed to just against the male gen- logical and emotional toll this can take on a Osmany is the current chairperson of War der. This is important because towards the woman. At several points Osmany expresses Against Rape (WAR), her arguments merit end of her book (and its useful appendices), great respect for the Prophet Mohammed’s being given serious consideration by a wide she expresses an idealistic, yet noble, belief (Peace be upon him) respectful and sympa- audience and readership. that the most positive way towards alleviat- thetic stance towards the female gender and The Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) elevated ing some of these problems in the 21st cen- she is correct in noting that Islam has too of- the status of women in Arabia (and eventu- tury has to do with changing a global mindset ten been deliberately misinterpreted in order ally worldwide) through his supremely beau- towards the position of women in the world to further unjustified patriarchal power. tiful Hadith that “Paradise lies at the feet of today. But what perplexes me, given that Os- mothers.” Given that every man is born of a Lest people erroneously assume that Os- many appears to be a qualified woman and woman, one wonders where and when hu- many considers this deeply disturbing power sincere writer, is one glaring omission in her manity went drastically and horribly wrong imbalance to be an Eastern problem, I should work. She hardly touches upon the vital point insofar as injustices and crimes committed note that she fair-mindedly includes points that often, due to reasons related to eco- against women are concerned? A whopping such as how oppressed women were in the nomic disparity, social class difference and 70 percent of women in the South Asian re- Middle Ages in Europe. The worldwide impact primal jealousy, women can be as oppressed gion experience domestic violence of some of this massive set of social evils is document- by more powerful members of their own gen- sort over the course of their lives, as Osmany ed in striking facts listed by her — one exam- der as they are by the male one. Certainly she notes. D H Lawrence’s eminently disturbing ple of which is that 70 percent of prostitutes in makes note of how certain notable women poem ‘Discord in Childhood,’ though a beau- Europe are Belgian and Bulgarian! She does (in the WHO and UNICEF) have fought tire- tifully written creative piece, brings the realities note that female oppression is particularly se- lessly over the course of their lives in order to of this ugly issue of domestic violence directly rious in South Asia, especially since this is one emancipate those women and children who into fine literature through its chilling phrase of the only regions in the world where women are underprivileged, disenfranchised, and ‘in a silence of blood.’ In the interest of justice, are outnumbered by men due to higher mor- even downright endangered. But sometimes therefore, let us listen to what Scharmin Os- tality rates and disturbingly violent deaths. a woman’s greatest enemy is not a man—it many has to say.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 59 Reviews

Book India’s Habituation with the Bomb Bomb Doctrines Book Title : India’s Habituation By Dr. Ahmed Saeed Minhas Indian nuclear doctrine of ‘No First Use (NFU)’ and highlights the operational compulsions with the Bomb dited by the Arms Control and being faced by the Indian leadership. Ali Ahmed Edited by : Naeem Salik Disarmament Affairs expert Dr. Naeem talks about the gradual evolution of the Indian Year : 2019 Salik, the book 'India’s Habituation nuclear doctrine and states why the Indian Pages : 216 with the Bomb: Nuclear Learning in Cabinet Committee of National Security in 1993 ISBN : 9780190701390 E Publisher : Oxford University Press South Asia' carries the views of both Indians included NFU as a cornerstone of its nuclear and Pakistanis on nuclear learning. The element doctrine. He also accepts that India has not regime, talks about the evolution of the Indian of brinkmanship is often associated with the presented an ambiguous doctrine that would Export Control Regime based on empirical nuclear capability of India and Pakistan. It comes keep the enemy guessing about its exact arguments. He says India evolved its export into play whenever tensions between the two strategic intents. He has made it clear that control regime in line with international best rise. In the Pulwama standoff, there was the India could use the option of preemptive strikes practices. He has listed the various export possibility of a limited conventional war with a against Pakistan when the need arises. From control acts of the Indian export control regime nuclear overhang. The BJP has been adamant the Pakistani perspective, Ali Ahmed admits and has also reviewed the Indian control lists about punishing Pakistan for its involvement that whether it is NFU or ‘First Use’, Pakistan besides highlighting the best practices adopted in Indian-held Kashmir. The Indian aggression believes in both and will continue to plan as per to issue an export licence for dual-use items. in February 2019 and a befitting response by a worst-case scenario. In ‘Indian Nuclear Regulatory Regime’, co- Pakistan has further pained the hardliner Indian He criticizes Indian strategic planners, authored by scholars Happymon Jacob and government. This means continued chances of asking them to refrain from using double-edged Tanvi Kulkarni, there is a wholesome review of war loom over South Asia with a feared use of terminologies. He points to certain caveats the Indian nuclear regulatory regime. The two nuclear weapons. This book provides insights attached to disassociating with NFU such authors describe the roles played by various about nuclear thinking on both sides and as chances of losing a soft-cum-responsible agencies in applying controls and regulating learning curves about the possibility of nuclear nuclear weapons state image. He also cautions the procedures being followed by Indian civil exchange. Indian policy-makers to avoid using terms like nuclear facilities. The book contains chapters from two ‘massive retaliation’ and ‘massive response’ Dr. Naeem Salik has made an exhaustive Pakistani and four Indian scholars. Dr. Salik because deterrence is already in place. He does effort to deliberate upon the implications of the has tried to identify building blocks which form try to justify that such terms are in response to Indian BMD (Ballistic Missile Defence) capability. the basis of nuclear learning. He highlights the Pakistani short-range tactical nuclear weapons He lists the missile development curve of the compulsions and motivations that have kept when used against offensive forces. Ali Ahmed’s Indian strategic missile inventory and talks about Indian and Pakistani strategic decision-makers view has an influential value in understanding the quest for attaining the capability of BMD, in following a particular strategic approach the strategic troughs and crests of the Indian besides listing the implications the system could to address international concerns related nuclear learning graph. have on the deterrence value prevailing in South to possession and employment of nuclear In the chapter “Nuclear Weapons Asia. Dr. Salik says the BMD system could weapons. Governance in India,” Sitakanta Mishra severely challenge the balanced deterrence Dr. Salik details evolution of the Indian provides insights into the Indian existing equation between India and Pakistan and thus, nuclear program. He begins from the Nehru nuclear command and control arrangements. Pakistan would be compelled to take actions, era and takes into account the political, security He alleges that it is difficult to assert viability especially in terms of an arms race which China and prestige-oriented motivations behind Indian of the Indian nuclear command and control can also join. thinking. He also talks about Indian nuclear arrangements besides safety and security levels Dr. Salik sums up the discussion by saying proliferation achieved by diverting civil nuclear because of ‘ambiguity and secrecy’ and says that the Indian side has been experimenting technology towards a weapons program. He there is very limited information available in the with nuclear learning. He states that India, highlights international annoyances to India’s public domain for assessing the comfort level while habituating with the bomb, did achieve proliferation. However, India has played its behind the existing safety and security setup. new learning in some areas, including the non- diplomatic cards well and has managed to He quotes Vipin Narang while questioning the proliferation regime. However, the country is continue with the development of nuclear probability of accidental use of nuclear weapons reluctant in command and control, safety and weapons capability leading to nuclear tests in and criticizes the ambiguous South Asian security and regulatory regimes. 1998. nuclear discourse which could be detrimental Overall, the book is a useful strategic In the second chapter of the book titled to future nuclear use. study, especially for those researchers who are “India’s Nuclear Doctrine: Stasis or Dynamism,” In the chapter ‘Indian Export Control seeking insights into the thinking behind the one of India’s celebrated strategic affairs Regime’, Dr. Zafar Ali, who happens to be the evaluation of state policies in nuclear armed scholars, Ali Ahmed gives an account of the pioneer of Pakistan’s nuclear export control India and Pakistan.

60 SOUTHASIA • December 2019 Reviews

Theatre Ali Baba Chalis Chor All Thieves

BY Faizan Usmani

oing theatre for children is an arduous task. Other than an engaging script and a lively Dperformance, what charac- terises theatre for children is its ability to nurture intellectual and artistic talent in the young ones. It also plays a part in their per- sonal development. Recently shown at the Karachi Arts Council, Ali Baba Chalis Chor could be termed a success only if its main objective were to make chil- dren laugh and nothing else. A pro- duction of Green Eye Production, the play was based on one of the classic folktales of “One Thousand and One Nights ( ),” which is also known as the “Arabian Nights.” Directed by Umair Rafiq with narration by Zain Qureshi, Ali Baba Chalis Chor was first performed in ‘Bachpan Ke Rung,’ a repeated clapping of the audience. theatre festival for children held at the Na- As things took place throughout the tional Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) play, there was neither a real Ali Baba, nor in Karachi. were the infamous forty thieves, as it was mances. Faraz Ali as This time, Ali Baba Chalis merely a hotchpotch of different characters Babloo Al Bubblegum, Muneeb Baig as Ali Chor was boastfully staged stolen from the original story. In the guise Baba, Sehrish Qadir as Bhabhi, Shabana with a musical and comi- of Ali Baba Chalis Chor, the scriptwriter just Hassan as Marjina and Aqeel Ahmed as cal twist to make the most hijacked the classic folktale characters to Qasim took the audience on an hour-long popular childhood bedtime depict a distorted storyline meant to create mishmash of a baseless plot with rib-tick- story an exciting, fun-based some silly fun and nothing more. ling fillers. This was all staged in the name play both for children and From the very outset, the performers of Ali Baba Chalis Chor. adults. And that’s where were pulling faces, turning themselves Before dipping a toe into staging the- the trouble began. In the upside down, jumping and falling off the atre for the young audience, the producers name of fun, stage and simply clowning around to en- of the play should have utilised their own tertain the audience, particularly the young imagination to create something new in ones. If this is what was supposed to be place of piggybacking on someone else’s shown to the children, the makers of the ideas. As it appeared, they seemed to be play could have produced a totally new relying on the ‘Open Sesame” mantra to story from scratch, instead of messing up steal the gist of the classic tale and bring with the original tale. back the stolen treasure in a miserably the play ended up killing the centuries-old The good thing about the play was its contorted form. folktale, right from its beginning to the end ability to keep children involved throughout Frankly speaking, there was no Ali and that too amidst deafening laughter and the show with some truly interactive perfor- Baba, but there were a lot of chors.

SOUTHASIA • December 2019 61 Reviews

Film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Care and Celebration

By Syeda Areeba Rasheed between Aurora and Maleficent that might al- ter their relationship. Also when Aurora tries to uilding upon the previous theme warm up to her new in-laws, Maleficent dis- of ‘Maleficent’, a live-action fan- covers her heritage as a dark fae, a race of tasy drama, the new ‘Maleficent: fairies who went into hiding after being hunted BMistress of Evil’ is more complex, nearly to extinction. Further, it explains why dealing with obstacles of familial ties while of- Maleficent looks different from the rest of the fering new characters and background to its Moors creatures but fails to clarify how she fairytale world. With Angelina Jolie as Malefi- gets to the Moors in the first place. cent, the horned creature from Disney’s 1959 Directed by Joachim Rønning, the sequel animated classic ‘Sleeping Beauty’, the sequel perfectly complements the first film and all the has no connection to the classic anymore. characters, the previous and the new ones, are The screenwriter Linda Woolverton, along with terrific. With Angelina Jolie reprising her role as scriptwriters Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzer- the winged dark fae, she proves once again man-Blue, adds a feminine touch to the story that she is the key ingredient, making it all work Cast: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, portraying Angelina Jolie (Maleficent), Michelle with her powerful presence and performance. Michelle Pfieffer, Harris Pfeiffer (Queen Ingrith) and Elle Fanning (Au- She balances her enraged outburst finely, even Dickinson, Sam Riley, rora) as three contrasting archetypes of femi- though it portrays how dangerous and uncon- Chiwetel Ejiofor, Ed Skrein, etc. ninity. The film is a melodramatic anti-war tale trollable her power can become. Her razor- Director: Joachim Rønning and is much more action-packed than the first sharp prosthetic cheekbones, elegant horns Writers: Linda Woolverton, Noah instalment. and velvety wings along with her husky voice Harpster and Micah Five years after the events of the first film add more depth to her character. Elle Fanning Fitzerman-Blue when Maleficent’s adopted daughter Aurora returns as Aurora, the demure heroine, who Running Time: 118 minutes was declared as the Queen of the Moors, Au- wants to set things right without realising that rora and Prince Philip (Harris Dickinson) are blind trust and rushing to judgements will only Manville). planning for a wedding. They both are of the have consequences. Her character can be The film shines throughout with its broad view that their engagement will unite both the best put into words as ‘a mixture of youthful array of colours and terrific imaginative de- human kingdom and magical forests of Moors naivety and immature rashness’. signs, giving viewers a premium visual experi- that is under the protection of Aurora and Ma- Michelle is a new addition to the film, ence along with Ellen Mirojnick’s stunning work leficent. But things take a wrong turn when the which is wonderful, as she juggles between as the costume designer. However, it lacks in two attend an engagement celebration dinner being the Queen and protector of her kingdom presenting proper Maleficent-Aurora scenes at Prince Philip’s castle with King John (Robert and the power-hungry person who desires to together. There is also a scene where Malefi- Lindsay) and Queen Ingrith of Ulstead. Though conquer the Moors without thinking about her cent keeps standing silently without contribut- Maleficent tries hard to plaster a smile and im- own family and loyal ones. Prince Philip’s char- ing much while the two fae leaders Borra (Ed press Philip’s parents, Queen Ingrith’s behav- acter, earlier enacted by Brenton Thwaites, is Skrein) and Collan debate over the merits of iour makes it all worse. played by Harris Dickinson in the sequel. He war and peace. The act is really weird, keeping While the first film shows Maleficent’s -for has a heart of gold and very beautifully man- in mind the powerful character she is playing. mer love King Stephan as the one who tries ages to fulfil his commitments to both Aurora Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is far more im- to destroy her, the sequel shows Ingrith as a and his kingdom. Chiwetel Ejiofor as Conall is proved than the first instalment. It talks about genocidal hatemonger who wants to rule the another newcomer who plays a short but im- issues of diversity, prejudice, discrimination, Moors. From serving squab, which requires portant role as one of the horned winged dark environmental protection and the nature of one winged creature to eat another, to fur- fae who rescues Maleficent from the enemies. good and evil. While Maleficent cares first and nishing the dinner table with utensils made of Sam Riley too returns as Diaval who transforms foremost about women, it offers a warm cel- iron (fairies are allergic to iron); Ingrith’s ways from a raven into a human form along with the ebration of male allyship in the form of Sam of inflaming Maleficent proves her cruelty. The three comic fairies Thistlewit (Juno Temple), Riley’s character Diaval along with the humble clash between the two results in an ugly spat Knotgrass (Imelda Staunton) and Flittle (Lesley and good-natured Prince Philip.

62 SOUTHASIA • December 2019